The Time of Our Lives
by Polka Dot Jewel
Summary: Prequel to "The Fake Engagement". What happened to Duncan and Courtney after TDA? How did they cope through the rest of high school, college, and real life? Life is hard, and keeping everything together is even harder.
1. Meet Up at the Mall

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

**A/N: I know, I need to update my other Total Drama stories... I just have to finish the end of the chapter for "The Fake Engagement", and I'm having a horrible writers block for "Long Time". Like the summary says, this is a prequel for "The Fake Engagement"... This is the only chapter that'll take place between TDI and TDA. The rest will take place after TDA, while they're finishing high school and going to college. I've been constantly thinking about tidbits that could be made into a story that "happened before TFE", and I'm finally writing these out. I hope you all enjoy!**

With the exception of small chatter on Facebook, neither Duncan nor Courtney spoke to each other between Total Drama Island the Total Drama Action. Well, with the exception of one time, which was pure coincidental and unexpected by both.

It happened the first week of May, exactly one month before Total Drama Action was to start filming. Duncan tried not to think about that. He might have met some nice (and even great) people on Total Drama Island, but it was an overall horrible experience. Knowing Chris and Chef, there would be some horrible and not-so-great experiences that he would be going through in the next season of the reality show.

Duncan was out at the mall one day with his parents. Dylan, his older brother, had a birthday approaching the next week, so the three of them went out shopping, looking for a few presents. After a few hours of shopping at the mall, they ate a quick meal in the Food Court.

"So, have you talked to Courtney at all lately?" his Mom asked, finishing her food.

Duncan shook his head. "Nah. We barely talk, anyway." He shrugged. "She's been busy with school, I guess." He knew how much of an "over-achiever" she was. She listed all the clubs she was in at her school. Plus, thanks to a bit of snooping, he knew the academic awards she was getting at her school. He would be very surprised if she wasn't Valedvictorian at her school.

"Will she be on... oh, what's the new series called?" his Mom called.

"Total Drama Action," Duncan grudgingly muttered. "And, no, she won't be on that."

"Oh, that's too bad..." his Mom quietly said.

He sighed and looked around. The mall, surprisingly, wasn't that crowded. It was early Sunday, and maybe people were at church or at home resting. He almost opened his mouth to ask to leave but a young woman caught his eyes. He would recognize her anywhere - it was Courtney. True, he was at a mall in Toronto, somewhere she lived at, but he was still very surprised to meet her. Duncan would never admit to anyone, but he was a bit scared to talk to her. Even though a numerous amount of girls tried to hook up with him, he turned every single one of them down. He still felt attached to Courtney. Neither had confirmed nor denied their relationship, and both flirted and playfully bickered with each other on the social networking website. He could tell she was with her parents, for he had seen pictures of them on her Facebook page.

"Duncan?"

He was immediately snapped out of his thoughts by his Dad's curious stare. "Yeah?"

"We're going to go into that store over there," his Dad said, pointing at a book store that was behind him and outside the Food Court.

"Um, I'll just stay here," Duncan said. "I just got a text message from a friend. They want me to call them."

"Is your friend alright?" his Mom asked as both his parents stood up.

"Oh, yeah," Duncan said. "He's just got this 'crazy cool' story to tell me right away."

His Mom smiled. "Well, either you can meet us over there or we'll meet you back here."

Duncan nodded. "Alright." He quickly glanced around the Food Court as his parents walked away. He grinned as he saw Courtney only a few tables away, her back turned to him. He got up and walked to the table behind her and quietly said down. He grinned, noticing her not even turning around. He then said to her, "Well, Princess..."

She visibly jumped, her phone dropping from her hands and onto the table. She quickly turned around, her eyes wide. "Duncan?" she asked, shocked.

He smirked. "In the flesh."

"What are you doing here?" she asked, still visibly shocked.

He shrugged. "It's my brother's birthday and next week and my parents decided to drag me with them while they go shopping..." He paused and smirked even more as he added, "What are you doing here? If I remember correctly, you live on the other side of town."

"Just shopping with my parents, like yourself."

"So my Mom was asking about you today."

She inquisitively stared at him for a good minute before quietly asking, "Really?"

He nodded. "Asked if I had talked to you, and if you were going to be on Action..."

She groaned. "I'm still so mad I didn't get on there!"

He chuckled. "Of course."

"I get to watch everything from the sidelines..." She sighed before narrowing her eyes at him. "Don't try to do anything sneaky."

"Didn't realize you were so protective over me."

She glared at him. "I'm serious, Duncan." She then looked away, her head resting on the tops of her hands, which were holding on to the top of the seat. It almost shocked Duncan, seeing Courtney going from completely serious to almost scared and timid.

"I've only got my eyes set for you," he said. Even though his statement came out jokingly, there was a hint of seriousness and reassurance said as well.

She looked up at him and smiled. "Bet you've gotten a lot of girls come up to you."

He shrugged. "A few. Scared them off, though." When she rolled her eyes, he said to her, "I bet a lot of guys have been trying to get with you."

She smirked. "A few."

When she didn't add anything to that, he raised an eyebrow, a mischievious smirk on his face. "Hook up with anyone, Princess?"

She shook her head, sitting up. Her head was resting against her hand, which was propped up . "No, I haven't hooked up with anyone."

"Good."

"I didn't realize you were so protective," she teased, repeating what he said about her.

He chuckled as he checked his vibrating phone. His Mom had texted him:

Saw you talking to someone. We'll meet you in the car.

He sighed. "Well, Princess, it's time for me to go."

"Really?" she quickly asked.

He nodded, leaning closer to her. "I'm going to do my best to win this time."

She nodded, leaning closer to him. "And then we can split the money?" When he shrugged, she asked, "Fifty-fifty?"

Again, he shrugged. "I'd rather split the money with you more than anyone else." He then closed the gap between them and kissed her. She returned the kiss with as much passion and desperation as he put into his kiss. He leaned back slightly, staring at her for a few seconds before giving her another kiss, this one small and sincere. "Bye, babe," he muttered before standing up.

"Bye," she breathed, watching him walk off. She was still amazed at how great of a kisser he was.


	2. Decision Date

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

**A/N: From this chapter on takes place after TDA. There was no extra episode after the finale to get even more money or whatever. At least, not in this story. Enjoy! And I want to give a special shoutout to the reviewer "CarmillaD". Thank you for taking the time to really review the past chapter and those in "The Fake Engagement"! And thank you for bringing up the past hints from the chapters - believe me, those will be brought up :) And I made a special hint in this chapter just to say they will be brought up, and to look for them soon. And thanks to the other reviews, too! And, if you're reading "The Fake Engagement", remember to review that as well. Thanks! **

Duncan stared at the ceiling in his hotel room. It was just a few mere hours after the announcement was made that he won Total Drama Action. He won the million dollars! He was a millionaire!

Except not really.

In the absolute fine print of the contract, it was stated that the winner's money would not be awarded to them until they were eighteen. He was a bit confused, seeing as that technically the legal, adult, age was sixteen, but he wasn't going to try and fight it. True, he was incredibly mad and upset at first, but calmed down soon afterward. He technically didn't need the money immediately, and he didn't mind waiting six months to receive the nice, large check.

Of course, there was Courtney.

He did not expect her to become such a big bitch upon her return. He didn't even expect her to return! He knew nothing about any lawsuit that she had presented to the show. Sure, it was nice to see her return. He loved seeing her feisty, competitive side. For a while, he didn't mind her attitude, either. Of course, when she presented him the 32-page booklet of his problems... Sure, it annoyed him slightly, but he really wanted to stay with her. He wasn't too surprised that she dumped him after voting her off. In all honesty, he probably would've done the same thing if she had voted him off.

He wasn't sure what to think of her after winning the million dollars. "Every King needs a Queen" was what she said to him after he told her he wasn't sure about splitting the money. Sure, he found it a bit strange she wanted to get back with him after winning the money. Was she only using him just to get her half? If he gave it to her, would she just take it and never speak to him again?

He sighed. He hadn't talked to Courtney since Chris and the other producers dragged him away from their makeout session / the victory party. He wasn't sure if he even wanted to talk to her at this point. He turned in his bed and shut his eyes, wanting to go to sleep after this crazy and incredibly eventful day.

The next morning, he woke up due to a phone call saying that he needed to pack up and get ready to go to the airport. He glanced at his clock and saw that it was 9AM. Even though he got more than enough sleep, he felt incredibly tired. He slowly moved around the room, gathering anything he might've thrown around after arriving in there the previous night. As he stepped past the door, he felt something crinkle under him. Confused, he looked down and saw that he had stepped on a letter. He bent down and picked it up. He immediately noticed Courtney's handwriting on it. He opened the envelope and grabbed the letter and began to read it.

_Duncan,_

_I would have tried to talk to you in person, but I had an early flight to catch. There is so much I want, need, to say to you, and I wish we could've had a proper conversation. I would have waited to see you in person later, but I needed to get this out. I'm sure there will be many things in this letter that you will not believe, and who knows if you even want to continue reading this, but, please, just do._

_I wasn't surprised to win the case against the show. You and I both know I was unfairly voted out. What I didn't expect was the attitude that came along with winning the case and coming back to the show. I didn't realize how much I changed until I talked to Bridgette last night. She knows firsthand how much fame, winning, etc., can really change a person. As you know, her and Geoff hosted the "Aftermath" shows, so they got to see everything that happened. Bridgette and I had a heart-to-heart last night, and I got to see some clips, mostly of myself and how I acted after joining Total Drama Action._

_I don't know why I wrote that 32-page letter to you. When I wrote it, I was thinking about me winning, and how I needed a "perfect" boyfriend. My lawyers and parents had a bit to do with the reasoning of writing the letter, but I still wrote it. I don't know why I ever thought I needed to change you. I'm the one that needs to change._

_I'm not sure if you want to talk to me, especially after how I acted yesterday after you won. I completely understand if you still don't want to split the money with me. I acted like a manipulative gold-digger to you, and I know you don't want or need that._

_If you ever feel like talking to me again, I'm including my e-mail address and phone number at the bottom of the page._

_Courtney_

Duncan re-read the letter a few times, letting each work sink in. He couldn't believe she wrote something like that. She never admitted defeat, or that anything was wrong with her. Maybe the heart-to-heart her and Bridgette had really affected her. He grabbed all his belongings and stuffed the letter inside his pocket and headed out the door, wondering what he was going to do once he got home.

---

**August 31, 2009 03:27PM  
Subject: Date?**

**Babe,**

**You know what I just realized? We have been going out for over a year, and I have never taken you out on a date. So what do you say? This Friday around 7PM? I can pick you up and we can go wherever you want. A restaurant, a movie, a park, your house... You pick. My treat.**

**-Duncan**

Duncan glanced over his short message a few times before sending it. He hadn't talked to anyone from Total Drama until this point. He was friends with a few of them on Facebook, but he hadn't done much on there since he got back three weeks ago. He realized he wanted to at least talk to Courtney face-to-face, and was willing to give their relationship one final try.

As he browsed a few websites, he was surprised to get a reply from her within twenty minutes. He anxiously opened the e-mail and began to read it.

**August 31, 2009 03:45PM  
Subject: Re:Date?**

**Duncan,**

**I'm actually busy Friday night. What about Wednesday night? If you're not free then, we can go on a date the following Friday.**

**Courtney**

He smirked as he typed up his reply.

**August 31, 2009 03:47PM  
Subject: Re:Date?**

**I would love to go out with you Wednesday night. Give me your address so I know where to pick you up at. Also, tell me where we're going so I know what to wear.**

Yet again, her reply was sent quick.

**August 31, 2009 04:01PM  
Subject: Re:Date?**

**Duncan,**

**Dress casually. We're not going anywhere fancy.**

**Courtney**

At the end of the e-mail, she included her address, which Duncan wrote down and placed at on his computer desk. He couldn't help but smile at the fact that him and Courtney were actually going on a date. He was incredibly nervous as well, knowing that, at least in his head, this date could make or break their relationship.

As Wednesday afternoon arrived, his nerves had died down slightly. He had gone onto Mapquest and gotten directions to her place before getting dressed. He wore a pair of regular jeans, a plain black t-shirt, and his red Converses. Unfortunately, before school started, he had to shave his mohawk, so now he had a bit of hair growing off his head.

He grabbed his keys and headed downstairs. "Mom, I'm going out," he said as he popped his head into the kitchen, where his Mom was sitting at the table, going through various papers.

"Where are you headed off to?" she asked, looking up at him.

"I'm going on a date."

"With...?"

"Courtney."

His Mom smiled as she returned looking through the papers. "Have a good time, sweetie. Be back by Midnight, please."

"Will do," he said before walking out of the house. The drive to her house was about 45 minutes away, so he cranked up his music as he drove to Northwestern Toronto. He wasn't too sure what to expect, but he was expecting her house to be more grandiose. It was a two-story house, though you weren't able to tell by looking at the front. It was quaint looking, and it fit in well with the amount of trees that surrounded it. He pulled into the almost empty driveway and parked beside what he assumed was Courtney's car. He got out and walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell.

Within a few seconds, the door opened and revealed Courtney. It may have only been three weeks since they last saw each other, but it felt like even longer than that. Duncan chuckled as he saw what Courtney was wearing, which was basically the same thing he was wearing - a plain black t-shirt, jeans (hers fit more snug than his), and a pair of black Converses. "Become telepathic, Princess?" he joked, smirking.

She sighed, a small smile laying on her lips. "I'll be right back-"

"No! Don't change!" he quickly interjected. "I think it's cute..."

Her smile widened as she continued, "I need to get my purse and keys."

Duncan almost seemed shocked for a second before smiling. "Don't take too long."

She rolled her eyes as she stepped back in. He also took a couple steps into her house, looking around. He assumed he was in her living room, for there were a couple of couches, a coffee table, and a few bookshelves. The walls were a rich, dark golden color.

"Let's go," Courtney said, stepping back into the room.

"Nice house," Duncan said, following her out of the house.

"Thank you..." she murmured, stepping into her car.

Duncan got into the passenger seat and shut the door before asking, "So where are your parents?"

"Dinner party," she said as she started driving off. "Nice car."

He shrugged. "Thanks, but it's alright. I like your car, though."

"Got it for my 16th birthday."

"Aah, same here. I'm assuming yours was new...?" When she nodded, he said, "Thought so. Mine's from 2003."

"That's not bad."

"At least my parents didn't have to pay for it. They just took it before it was bought at one of those police auctions."

Courtney was stumped. "Your parents took the car? As in-"

"Oh, no, not like that." Duncan laughed. "They're police officers. They usually get first pick before the public does."

Courtney nodded. "That's nice."

He nodded, leaning back in his seat. "Thanks for taking up on my offer."

She softly smiled, continuing to stare ahead at the road. "Thanks for asking."

"Figured I needed to see you outside of the show... Oh, my God, are we eating here?!" he asked, his voice suddenly excited.

"Yeah..." Courtney murmured as she parked. "You've been here before?" The restaurant was a tiny Italian restaurant / cafe. Unlike other Italian places, it was quite inexpensive, and the food was incredibly delicious. At least, that's what she heard from her friends.

Duncan chuckled as he got out of the car. "Oh yeah."

Courtney's face suddenly turned perplexed. She certainly didn't expect him to know this place. "Oh, well-"

"No, no, no," he said, walking over to her. He put his hand on the small of her back and pushed her forward slightly. "You cannot back out of this."

"I thought I could chose the place?" she asked, smirking.

"And you chose this place. We're going to eat here, Courtney. Have you ever been here?"

She shook her head. "Nope. I heard it's good, though... oh, why thank you," she said, surprised that he opened the door for her.

"Mmhmm..." he muttered.

As soon as they entered, it seemed like a chorus of people were shouting, "DUNCAN!" Courtney was shocked at the people who were suddenly walking over to them.

"_TESORO_!" an elderly woman with long, black hair said as she walked over to them.

"Ah, _nonna_," Duncan said, giving the woman a hug.

"_Come stai_?" the woman asked.

"_Benissimo_!" Duncan said, smiling.

The woman laughed. "And who is this lovely young lady?"

"This is Courtney, my girlfriend," Duncan said. He turned to Courtney and said, "Courtney, this is my Grandma. Grandma-"

"Your _Nonna_!" the elderly woman said, emphasizing the word as she gave him a light smack on the arm.

Duncan chuckled. "Excuse me - Courtney, this is my Nonna. Nonna, Courtney."

"It's nice to meet you," Courtney said, smiling as she extended her hand.

Duncan's Nonna reached forward and gave Courtney a hug, startling Courtney slightly. "And it's nice to meet you, too."

"So, Nonna, got anywhere for us to sit?" Duncan asked, looking around at the packed restaurant.

His Nonna nodded. "There's that booth in the corner back there. Is that alright?" When Duncan and Courtney nodded, she grabbed two menu's and walked them to the table. "What do you two want to drink?"

"Water," Courtney said.

"Same," Duncan said, putting down his menu.

When his Nonna walked away, Courtney looked over at Duncan. "Were you speaking in Italian to her?"

"You are correct."

"I... didn't realize you knew Italian?"

"It's a family thing. Dad's Italian. Moved here with his parents when he was little. They have a house right down the street, over in Little Italy. Anyways... Nonna and Dad insisted my brothers and I learn Italian from a young age, to keep... whatever... going."

"Do you speak to your Father in Italian?"

"Mostly."

His Nonna returned with their drinks. After quickly chatting with them, she took their orders and walked back into the kitchen.

"So," Duncan started. "How's school?"

Courtney shrugged. "Busy. You?"

Duncan also shrugged. "Boring."

Courtney nodded. She let her hands rest in her lap, her fingers fiddling together. "So... Did you read that letter?" she quietly asked, looking over at him wearily.

He nodded, taking a sip of his water. "Right before I left the room... and a bunch of times after that." Both sat there for a few minutes before Duncan continued, "I forgive you, y'know."

She looked over at him, surprised. "Really?"

He shrugged. "Sure, you acted like a total bi-" He caught himself, knowing he couldn't say such things like "bitch" where he was at. "-like a total jerk, and then you wrote that letter..." He leaned forward and quietly said, "But I like your feisty side."

She laughed, shaking her head. "Oh, goodness."

"It's true, Princess!" he said before laughing. "I was a bit mad and confused at first. But..." He shrugged. "I like you, Courtney. And, let's just say if I didn't like you, we wouldn't be here right now."

She nodded. "Well, if it helps, I like you, too. I like you a lot."

"A lot, a lot?"

She rolled her eyes. "A lot, a lot."

"Well, I like you a lot, a lot, and then some."

She giggled. "This isn't a competition!"

He shrugged, smirking. "Sure. So, what part of town do you live in?"

"Sunnyside." Courtney rolled her eyes as Duncan smirked. "Don't even say it."

"Now I know where you get your _bright_ attitude from..."

"Duncan!" she laughed, slightly exasperated.

Suddenly, Duncan's Nonna came over with their food. She placed the two plates in front of the two teens and said, "_Buon appetito_", before walking around the restaurant to chat with the other customers.

"_Buon appetito_," Duncan said to Courtney, winking at her.

Courtney softly giggled and blushed slightly. She took a bite of her food, and instantly her eyes widened.

"Good? Bad?" Duncan asked, carefully watching her.

"It's so good!" Courtney said, taking another bite of her food.

Duncan laughed and started to eat his food. He took a few bites before clearing his throat and loudly saying, "_NONNA_! _Il cibo continua a migliorare e meglio_!" A cheer was heard from many people, and even some laughter was heard.

"What'd you say?" Courtney asked, an amused smile on her face.

Duncan laughed. "I told her that her food keeps getting better and better."

Courtney also laughed. "And they don't care that you just screamed it?"

Duncan shook his head. "Nope. Believe me, when my whole family comes here and gets together... It's a party."

Courtney giggled, finishing her food. She sighed in content. "That was so good."

"Damn, Princess, you were hungry, weren't you?" Duncan asked, laughing.

"Yes, I was. I haven't eaten that much today."

"You're not fat, babe."

"I didn't say I was starving myself! I was really busy during lunch and only ate a snack after school."

Duncan nodded as his Nonna came back over. "_Il tuo cibo buono_?" she asked.

He nodded. "_Certamente_."

His Nonna laughed and turned to Courtney. "Was your food good?" she asked, picking up her plate.

Courtney nodded. "It was very good."

His Nonna smiled and said to Duncan, "_Dire ai tuoi genitori ho detto 'ciao'_."

"Will do," Duncan said.

His Nonna rolled her eyes as she turned to Courtney. "It was nice meeting you. Please come back anytime."

"Oh, thank you," Courtney said, smiling as she lightly blushed. "It was nice meeting you, too."

"_Tell nonno Ho detto ciao_!" Duncan said as his Nonna walked off.

"Okay!" his Nonna said.

"You ready?" Duncan asked, standing up.

Courtney looked shocked. "What about the bill?"

"I'm family. You're my date. We eat free."

"Really?" Courtney asked, standing up.

"_Ciao_!" Duncan said as they left the restaurant. He laughed as she walked back to Courtney's car. "This isn't some fancy chain. It's just a simple little family restaurant."

"Your Grandma seems very nice," Courtney said as they got into her car.

"My _Nonna_!" Duncan said, imitating his Nonna.

Courtney giggled.

---

"So..."

"So...?" Courtney asked. They were standing in front of her door after getting back from the restaurant.

"This is probably a dumb question, but... You and me...?"

Courtney laughed. "Yes, I'm still your girlfriend."

Duncan grinned. "Good." He then leaned forward and gave Courtney a hug. She returned the hug, resting her head on his shoulder. They stayed in that embrace for a few moments before they pulled apart. "You up for another date?" he asked.

She nodded. "How about next Friday?"

He nodded. "Sounds like a plan. Though, I'll go ahead and tell you that's when all the friends come over. I can kick them out, since my brother's friends can be annoying..."

She shrugged. "I'd love to meet your friends. And your family, too."

He laughed. "Alrighty then."

She smiled. "So... Do I get a goodnight kiss?"

He wickedly grinned. "And to think, I was just about to say something."

Before she could comment, he had leaned down and gave her an incredibly passionate kiss. The kiss felt like it had the passion of a thousand fireworks. Their lips perfectly molded together as they continued to kiss one another. Courtney felt her hand rest against his jaw, and felt one of his hands rest against the middle of her back, and the other against the small of her back. She finally pulled back, though it took her a few seconds to open her eyes and fall back into reality. She looked up at him, and saw the same dazed look she knew she probably had on her face. Almost seductively smiling at him, she opened the door and said, "See you later, Duncan."

With a smile and a still dazed look, he said to her, "Night, babe."


	3. His Family Dinner

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

**A/N: Thank you all so much for the reviews! I'm glad you all are enjoying this story =) I'm definitely enjoying writing it! And, because this was brought up in a review, just to clarify: Even though TDA's been a bit weird describing this, I believe TDI and TDA took place a year apart from each other. That's why, in this story, it's been said Duncan and Courtney were going out for over a year. Keep reviewing! Thanks! **_  
_

"_Here's the prize you've all been waiting for... Lady Gaga tickets! Be the seventh caller right now and you'll win!_"

Courtney had the station on her speed dial. She pressed the number right as they started calling. She tried winning the tickets for the past three days, constantly listening to the radio. Her parents hadn't been too keen on the idea of her constantly listening to the radio throughout the day, but they were proud that she was working hard towards something. The phone began to ring, something it had never done. Either a busy tone would pop up, or a voice would say, "_Sorry; All lines are busy_". The phone suddenly picked up, and it said, "_Sorry! You're caller number six!_" She screamed and threw her phone down on the seat. She was THIS CLOSE to winning!

Suddenly, the DJ on the radio was heard saying, "_Congratulations! You are caller number seven!_"

"_Alright. Cool._"

"HE DOESN'T EVEN SOUND EXCITED!" she screamed before switching radio stations. She sighed. One day, she would win those tickets. What she didn't know was that a certain boy in Hamilton had actually won the tickets...

---

"Doesn't your _Princess_ like Lady Gaga?"

"Shut up!" Duncan said, chucking a pillow at his cousin, Brian. "And, yes, she does."

"Dude, you have to call! Just think about when she finds out you won!"

"Like I'll win," Duncan muttered, grabbing his phone. They sat there for a few moments and when the cue to call was aired, he immediately dailed the number. Brian looked over excitedly as Duncan, who looked extremely bored, held up the phone to his ears.

Suddenly, someone picked up and a loud statement was heard: "_Congratulations! You are caller number seven!_"

"Alright. Cool," he said, as Brian widened his eyes before starting to laugh.

The DJ laughed. "_Try not to let it all out!_"

"Yeah, yeah, these are for my girlfriend," Duncan informed the DJ. "She loves... Lady Gaga." He forgot the singer's name, but was reminded of it by his cousin, who mouthed the name to him.

"_Do you think she's listening right now?_" the radio DJ asked.

"I... don't even know. She may be listening in her car. She's coming over for a hot date tonight." Duncan rolled his eyes as the DJ remarked that they should probably play another song before they get into the details.

"DUDE! YOU WON!" Brian exclaimed as Duncan was put on hold.

Duncan rolled his eyes. "Whatever, man." He smirked and said, "She'll be super happy - Yeah, I'm still here." He gave his personal information to the worker at the radio station before hanging up.

"Oh, man, I can't wait to see her reaction," Brian said, grinning.

Duncan scoffed at his cousin before laughing. "You think I'm going to tell her around you?" He continued to laugh, shaking his head.

Brian chucked the pillow back at Duncan before saying, "You know you can't wait to tell her." Suddenly, a knock was heard at the door. Brian's eyes grew wide at he looked at Duncan with excitement. "It's her!"

"I bet," Duncan muttered as he stood up and walked over to the door.

"IS IT HER?!" Brian exclaimed as Duncan opened the door.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Duncan exclaimed, turning around and glaring at his cousin. He slowly turned his head around and smiled at his girlfriend.

Courtney stood in front of him, clearly confused. "Um... Am I interrupting something?" she slowly asked.

Duncan laughed and leaned forward, hugging her. "Ooh, no," he said, patting her back. "My cousin's just being annoying."

She giggled, returning the hug. "I see. And how's he being annoying?"

"Well, he pestered me to call a radio station to win this prize... He was, like, 'You gotta call, you gotta call'..."

"Oh, really?" she asked, leaning back.

He nodded. "And..." He chuckled. "I bet you can guess what I won."

She stared at him, pursing her lips together. "I can't think of..." She stopped. Her eyes widened ask her mouth fell open. "You were that caller!"

He smirked. "What caller, darling?"

"That caller who sounded so unexcited that had me SCREAMING at the radio!"

"So full of rage..."

"DUNCAN!" she persistently exclaimed.

He laughed. "Yeah, I won the Lady Gaga tickets."

She gasped, her hands flying up to her mouth. "YOU WON?!"

He nodded, taking her hand and leading her inside. "Did you get to the house okay?"

"Yeah..." she nodded, looking around. She turned to Duncan and said, "Who are you taking?" He turned and stared at her. His expression clearly read, '_Really?_' She grinned and quickly leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I can't believe it!"

He chuckled, wrapping his arms around her waist, holding her close to him. "You're going to have so much fun."

"Do you even like her?" Courtney asked, leaning back slightly.

He shrugged. "She's alright. A little too much, but..."

"And... you still called?"

He smiled, running a hand through her hair. "I told you my cousin was bugging me about it. I caved in and, well, got super lucky."

"You are so sweet!" she said, leaning forward and capturing her lips in his. They stood there for a good minute, continuing to kiss. Her hands roamed his shoulders and upper back, and his roamed her lower back.

"Mmhmm. I'm glad the door isn't open and you two aren't in front of the open window."

"Oh, shut up," Duncan murmured, breaking their kiss and glaring at his cousin.

Courtney's face instantly turned red as she kept close to Duncan for a few seconds before turning to Duncan's cousin. "Hi." She noticed that Brian didn't look too much like Duncan. She thought that Brian was a relative on Duncan's Mom's side of the family. He had incredibly bright green eyes, had chestnut brown hair, and was sporting a nice tan while wearing a plaid, button-up shirt and light jeans.

Brian smiled at Courtney. "You must be Princess."

"Brian, Courtney. Courtney, my annoying cousin, Brian," Duncan muttered.

Brian rolled his eyes. "You know you love me, baby cousin."

Duncan groaned. "Two months!" he seethed. "You are TWO months older than me!"

"So, where's our date tonight?" Courtney asked, turning and looking at Duncan.

Duncan smirked. "Well... I know it's early in our relationship, but..." He looked up and smirked at Brian.

Brian raised an eyebrow at him. "What? I'm not going to be the one to tell her you two's date is with your family..."

Duncan laughed. "It's your family, too!"

Courtney stared at Duncan, confused. "Our date's here?"

Duncan nodded. "Is that okay?"

She shrugged. "That's fine. Who all is going to be here?"

Duncan lowly whistled as Brian chuckled. "Let's see..." Duncan started. "Mom, Dad, my brothers..."

"My Mom, my Dad, my sister..." Brian added.

"Anthony and Nonna..." Duncan continued.

"Your Nonna's going to be here?" Courtney asked.

Duncan nodded. "She can't wait to see you again."

Courtney smiled before looking down at herself. She was wearing a black dress with three-quarter length sleeves, gray leggings that ended just below her knees, and white sneakers. "Am I appropriately dressed?" she quietly asked, looking up at Duncan.

He chuckled, grabbing her hands. "You look fine... for now."

"For now?" Courtney asked.

As Brian chuckled behind them, Duncan smirked and said, "Once the family leaves and everyone goes to sleep..."

Courtney blushed and bit her lip. She lightly hit Duncan on the shoulder. "In your dreams," she murmured.

"Oh, you have no idea how many dreams you have been in..." Duncan teased, causing Courtney to turn even redder. Brian was howling by that point, as he was laughing so much.

"Oh, you pig!" Courtney said, her face still red as she punched Duncan's arm.

"Ow," he muttered, rubbing his arm. "That hurt."

"Oh, no it didn't," Courtney muttered, crossing her arms.

"Aw, babe," Duncan said, leaning forward and wrapping his arms around her. "You know I'm just teasing."

Courtney sighed, leaning into his embrace, her arms still crossed. "Yeah, yeah..."

"When's everyone getting here?" Brian asked, walking into the kitchen.

"Any moment now," Duncan said, taking Courtney's hand and also walking into the kitchen. "You thirsty or anything?" he asked Courtney.

She shook her head. "I'll take a water."

"Water coming up," Brian dramatically said, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. He then handed it to her. "Your water."

"Why, thank you," she said, smirking as she opened the bottle and drank some. Suddenly, she felt Duncan's hands start massaging her shoulders and upper back. She had to hold back a moan as his gentle touch massaged some of her sorest spots.

"School been stressing you out?" Duncan murmured as Brian stepped out of the room.

"A-A little," she muttered. She couldn't help herself and groaned, "God, Duncan..."

He chuckled and added a bit of pressure to his touch. "School is hard."

"All those AP classes..." she murmured. "And my after school activities... and my job..."

"Where do you work at?" he asked, suddenly adding kisses to the sides and back of her neck. He smirked as she gasped, in both surprise and pleasure.

"I, uh... F-Fridays..." she stuttered, feeling his kisses continue and his hands roam lower against her sides. She felt extreme pleasure from his actions, but nervousness at the same time. Brian was around somewhere, and their family was supposedly getting home at any moment. She gasped as his hands started pressing against her waist and hips.

"How long have you been working there?" he asked, his voice low and smooth.

"O-over a...a... over a year and a half," she quickly said before letting out a pleasure-filled, groan-like whisper, "Fuck, Duncan..."

"Mm, keep talking dirty like that," he murmured, using one hand to stroke her thigh and the other to turn her head and lightly kiss her. She returned the kiss and let out a pleasure-filled sigh after a few moments. Suddenly, the door opened, but she was a little too occupied for her mind to comprehend that. Duncan broke away from the kiss, mischievously smirking.

Courtney just stood there for a few seconds as the family slowly began to enter. She couldn't comprehend what just happened. It both scared her, and it left her wanting a whole lot more. The feeling of wanting more was what truly scared her. That, and as much as she somehow trusted Duncan, giving herself up to him also scared her. She was scared of what would happen after she finally gave herself to him. She sucked it all in and turned around and saw plenty of family members (more than Duncan and Brian had named off) enter the house.

"Oh, you must be Courtney!" a woman said, walking over to Courtney and Duncan. She had shoulder-length blonde hair and had the same teal eyes that Duncan sported.

Courtney had seen pictures of her before, and automatically knew it was his Mom. "Hi, Mrs. Evans," she said, shaking the woman's hand.

"Oh, you are just so sweet!" Mrs. Evans said, leaning forward and giving Courtney a hug.

Courtney laughed, returning the hug. "Your house looks very nice," she said, letting go.

Mrs. Evans laughed, shaking her head. "Oh, it's nothing. It's a little bit dirty. Plus, Duncan was telling me about your house. Now that sounds really nice."

"Oh, it's not that great..." she murmured, looking at Duncan and shaking her head.

"You'll have to show me pictures sometime," Mrs. Evans said, patting Courtney's back. "Well, let's introduce you to everyone." Within minutes, Courtney had been introduced to the whole family - Duncan's brothers Dylan and Danny, Duncan's Father, Brian's parents, Brian's sister Kelly, Duncan's cousins Anthony and Eddie, Duncan's Uncle Stephen, Duncan's Aunt Sally, and Duncan's Grandpa, his Nonno. Courtney also saw Duncan's Nonna, who said to the young girl, "You are so pretty!"

Courtney blushed and shyly said, "Thank you."

"Lei è troppo carina!," Duncan's Nonna murmured, smiling at Courtney and Duncan.

"Ah, sì, lei è.," Duncan's Mom agreed, nodding.

"Hey, Court?" Duncan quietly said. She looked back at him, and he beckoned her to follow him into an empty highway. She followed him as he grabbed her hands. She stood in front of him, looking up at him expectantly and nervously. "I didn't mean to freak you out back there," he softly said, looking down at her.

"It's okay," she murmured, grabbing his other hand so both their hands were held as she swung them lightly. "It's not that I didn't like it..."

He softly smiled and said, "I was watching you after I stopped. Babe... What was going through your head?"

"It scared me a tiny bit," she quietly said, looking down. "And I trust you, I really do..."

"Look at me." It took her a few seconds, but she finally looked up at him. "I may love to tease you and get you all worked up, but remember - I will never, _never_, force you to do anything you don't want to do. Okay?"

She nodded, giving him a tiny smile and his hands a light squeeze. She leaned up and gave him a quick kiss on the lips before saying, "I'm sure your family is wondering where you are."

"I'm sure they're catching up with Brian's family," Duncan said, shrugging. "It's not like Mom and Dad's family ever see's each other."

"Did everyone here watch both shows?" Courtney asked, referring to the two reality shows that they participated in.

"Oh yeah," Duncan murmured, wrapping an arm around Courtney's shoulders. "Remember those 'parties' that I was telling you about? That happened at my Nonna's? Well... Those were mainly viewing parties. And those got quite crowded and rowdy at times..."

"I bet they were ecstatic when you won," Courtney said.

Duncan chuckled. "Strangely, the police were called. My parents are friends with the police officers who came to investigate. They ended up staying for the party as well."

Courtney giggled. Right then, Duncan's Mom rushed over. "Oh, I hope I didn't interrupt anything..."

"Nah, we're finished," Duncan teased, earning a light slap on the arm from his girlfriend.

"Are you allergic to anything, dear?" Mrs. Evans asked.

"I'm lactose intolerant," Courtney said.

"And I prepared for that," Mrs. Evans said, smiling. "Anything else? Are there any foods you don't like?"

Courtney shook her head. "No, and no."

"That's nice," Mrs. Evans said. She turned to Duncan and said, "Mi piace un sacco."

Duncan chuckled. "I can tell." He squeezed Courtney's shoulders and said, "Mi piace anche lei."

"Oh, how sweet!" Mrs. Evans said. "Young love..."

"Alrighty, Mom," Duncan muttered. "Doesn't Nonna need some help..."

"Oh, you know how she gets. Only she can cook the food," Mrs. Evans said. "But you can set up the plates. Brian, too."

"Tell me when dinner's close to being done and I'll get on it," Duncan muttered as his Mom walked off. He turned to Courtney and smirked. "Wanna see my room?"

"And make-out?" she asked, smirking.

He grinned. "I thought you'd never ask."

"Oh, I forgot to add: After dinner?" she said, continuing to smirk.

"How about right now?"

"How about no?"

"Aw, babe. You know you want this."

"Yeah. Except not right now."

"And when is that?"

"When I am ready," she said, poking him in the chest with emphasis.

He softly smiled and said, "And I will wait forever for that moment."

She stared at him for a few moments before saying, "You amaze me, Duncan."

He shrugged. "I am pretty amazing." She groaned and walked off. He laughed as he followed her. "You know it's true, babe!"


	4. Hospital 'Date'

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad you all are still enjoying this =) I actually wrote this chapter and the previous one over the weekend, when I didn't have any internet and nothing to do (I was house-sitting), so I decided to wait until I got a few reviews from the other chapter to post this one. Let's shoot for between 20 and 25 reviews, okay? And do submit your ideas - I would love to hear them! Thanks!**_  
_

"_Hey, Duncan. I'm sorry to tell you this, especially at the last second, but I have to cancel our date tonight. Something popped up that's avoiding me to leave Toronto..._"

Duncan sighed, listening to the rest of the voicemail. He knew she wasn't arrested, for she wouldn't have called from her cellphone. He really did wonder what she had gotten herself into. In the back of his mind, he wondered if he did something wrong. She seemed to have fun on their last date, which was when she came over to his house and met his family. But, it had been four weeks since that date, and they hadn't really talked much since then. He figured she was busy with school, but there was that nagging sensation in the back of his head. He hoped that neither him or his family scared her off. Well, he wasn't too worried about his family - they were rather calm compared to other "special" occasions. He was more worried that he did something to freak her out and make her not want to be his girlfriend anymore.

He gathered up all his courage and called her back, desperately hoping that she would pick up. Finally, after a few rings, she picked up.

"_Hello?_"

"Courtney."

There was a temporary pause at the other end before she said, "_Hi, Duncan._"

"I got your message." They both stayed quiet for a few seconds before he quietly asked, "What's going on, Courtney?"

She sighed, her sigh sounding shaky and scared. "_Duncan, I... I'm at the hospital..._"

"What's going on?" he quickly asked, truly concerned and scared.

"_I'm-I'm not dying_," she quickly reassured him. "_I don't have cancer, I'm not sick..._"

"Oh, my God..." he muttered, standing up and pacing around his room. Horrible things were popping into his head, and he was trying his best to stay calm. "Who did it?"

"_Who did what?_"

"Who... who... Fuck, Courtney, who raped you?" he softly said, hoping none of his family was around his door.

She let of a sigh, which sounded quite relieving, much to his pleasure. "_I wasn't raped, Duncan_."

"Then why are you in the hospital?" he asked, trying to stay calm.

"_I had an anxiety attack, Duncan._"

He stopped in his tracks, furrowing his eyebrows. "You're at the hospital..."

"_I fainted in the kitchen, and when my parents came home, I wouldn't wake up. They thought I was dead._"

"I would've thought the same thing," he murmured. An idea popped into his head. "What hospital are you at?"

"_Brackenridge... Why?_"

"I was going to surprise you, but you had to ask..."

"_Oh, I don't know if that's a good idea..._"

"Are your parents there?"

"_Well, no, but-_"

"Nope. You're not getting out of this. If you can't come to me, I'm coming to you. I won't sneak you out of the hospital, don't worry," he said, quickly grabbing his jacket and keys before heading downstairs. "MA! I'm seeing Courtney!"

"Be safe!" exclaimed his Mom from some other room.

"_Duncan, I don't want you to get in trouble-_"

"Will your parents care that much?" he asked, getting into his car and sitting in it.

"_That's the problem - I don't know._"

"Well, it's about time I meet your parents," he said, starting up the car and driving off.

She sighed. "_I can't talk you out of it, huh?_"

"Nope. See you soon."

"_Okay. Bye._"

He shut his phone and tossed the phone onto the passenger seat. He had been to that hospital a few times and new a few shortcuts to get there. The drive took a little over thirty minutes, and while he tried to keep his mind off things by blaring some intense metal music, but he still couldn't think about Courtney. It's not like they didn't live hours and hours away from each other. He was surprised Bridgette and Geoff still maintained a long distance relationship! Geoff only lives two hours North of Toronto, whereas Bridgette lived all the way on the other side of the country, on the Pacific Coast of British Columbia. Duncan and Courtney only lived forty-five minutes away from each other...

He groaned. He was never emotionally involved with anyone before. He loathed and loved that Courtney did this to him. He looked ahead and saw the hospital within a few miles. He increased his speed, zooming left and right past other drivers as he made his way closer. He was lucky to find parking spot close to an elevator, and once he found a spot, he grabbed his phone and headed towards the elevator. He checked his phone and found a text from Courtney:

_I'm in room 327._

He made his way into the hospital and looked around. He couldn't see any signs for any type of gift shop. He walked over to the front desk and casually asked, "Are there any gift shops in here?"

"On the second floor," the receptionist said, not even bothering to look away from her computer up at him.

"Thanks," Duncan muttered before heading back into an elevator. The gift shop was right in front of the elevator, so he walked on in. It was surprisingly empty. Then again, people weren't at hospitals just to shop for gifts. He looked around and smiled. He grabbed a bouquet of daisies and a small box of chocolates. He paid for it (and was surprised at how expensive it was) before making his way back into the elevator and up to the third floor. He got out and walked all the way down the hallway to Courtney's room.

He slowly opened the door and found the room dimly lit, the lamp on the desk being the only source of light. He was also surprised to find Courtney asleep in her bed. He smiled, quietly shutting the door behind him. He slowly walked over to her bed and sat down in the chair next to it. "Courtney..." he softly said. When she didn't even budge, he stood up and sat on the edge of the bed. "Princess..." he said, nudging her arm with his elbow.

She stirred slightly, letting out a, "Hmm...?"

"Wakey-wakey, your boyfriend is here...y..." he muttered, grimacing at the horrible rhyme.

Squinting, Courtney woke up and looked over at Duncan. "You're hairy?" she tiredly asked, smiling softly.

He chuckled. "Here-y. Made up something on the spot to rhyme with 'wakey'."

She nodded and glanced at the presents that he held in his hands. "What are those?"

"Flowers," he said, holding up the bouquet in his right hand. He held up his left hand and said, "And chocolates."

"You got those for me?" she asked.

He shrugged. "It's about time I bought you something for a date."

She softly laughed. "I hardly consider this a date."

"What are you talking about, babe? Hospitals are so romantic." He rolled his eyes, clearly sarcastic.

She giggled. "You can put them on the table," she said, lightly gesturing to her beside table.

"What? You don't want to smell the flowers or taste the chocolate?" he asked, smirking as he put them down on the table.

She stretched and muttered, "Well, as you can see, I did just wake up..."

"After, what a thirty minute nap?"

"Something like that."

"Thank you for coming out," she said, taking one of his hands in both of hers and giving it a squeeze.

He shrugged. "No prob. Tonight was our date night after all..."

She frowned lightly. She looked down at her hands holding his, watching her thumbs trace over the backside of his hand. "You must be mad at me."

"Not really." He shrugged once more. "I mean... sure, I was when I got your voicemail, but..." He pursed his lips, looking away. "You're here."

"You never questioned why I didn't talk to you for four weeks. Never asked me why when I asked you on the date two days ago."

"Are you mad at me?" he asked, looking down at her.

She shook her head, letting go of his hand to sit herself up. "No, I'm not mad at you. I've... I've been so busy with school. Work. Family stuff." She let out a sigh, looking down and shaking her head. She brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her knees. "It gets so stressful at times," she whispered.

Duncan hopped onto the bed, crossing his legs and sitting in front of Courtney. He grabbed her hands in his and said, "You can talk to me, you know."

She nodded. "Do you take any Honors classes at school?"

"I take a couple of AP classes, darling."

"No, you don't."

He scoffed at her. "I actually do. I'll have you know, I'm a decent student in school."

"Wouldn't going to juvie have held you back?" she asked.

"I was in juvie for less than a week."

"You escaped."

He laughed. "I did. Then I got on the show. Everyone thought that would be more of a perfect punishment."

"That show was pretty horrible..." she murmured.

He shrugged. "So, about school..."

She sighed. "All my classes are AP classes."

"Damn."

She nodded. "Yeah. Very bad choice on my part."

"So why'd you do it?"

"I figured I could do it." She shrugged. "Plus, I get my scholarships that way. Colleges like that, too."

"You're clearly over-working yourself."

She nodded, looking to her right and out the window. "This is my second panic attack."

"Panic? I thought you said-"

"Panic, anxiety..." She sighed, laying her arms hang over her knees. "I end up in the hospital every time."

He wanted to scream at her, wanted to shake her, telling her to stop doing this to herself. How could she continue to overwork herself like that? Was she really that much of a perfectionist? He snapped out of his thoughts and saw tears brimming her eyes as she looked outside. He felt something in him as he saw her, something in this chest... The only thing that popped up in his head was the thought, it was like his heart was breaking.

He was seriously falling for this woman. He drove all the way out there to see her because she was in the hospital. He bought those incredibly expensive gifts just for her. He would never do that for anyone else. If it were any of his friends, he might have visited them in the hospital, only if it was Hamilton. He'd be bombarding them with calls and texts if it were anywhere else, and only if he was in the mood. He never bought gifts for anyone. He barely remembered to buy cards for his family members. He felt extreme emotions when thinking about her. Even when he was around her, he felt all these weird things. When she smiled, he smiled. When she laughed, he couldn't help but laugh. When she was sad, like she was right now, he felt sad.

He looked down, chuckling. He leaned forward and rested his head and on her arms.

She smiled, her hands lightly playing with her hair. "You're letting your hair grow out."

He nodded. "Mmhmm."

"What are you thinking about?"

He looked up at her, a small smile on his face. "I'm thinking about how much I love you."

Her smile slowly fell and her eyes grew wide. For seconds, she didn't say anything, and his smile also fell. He was about to apologize and probably ramble on when she asked, "Really?"

He nodded. "Yeah, Courtney. I..." He let out a deep breath before saying, "I love you."

It took a lot for her not to starting bawling right there. She felt tears fill her eyes, and she kept her sobs in. "Oh, Duncan..."

"Shit..." he muttered, sitting up. "God, Court, I shouldn't have-"

"Shut up," she muttered, a tiny smile forming on her face as she wiped away the tears that began to fall.

He looked at her, half-concerned and half-amused. "Excuse me?"

"Shut up," she repeated more clearly, an amused smile on her face. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you, too, you big Neanderthal."

He chuckled, his arms wrapped around her waist. "I confess my love to you, and you call me names."

"I told you I loved you, too," she muttered, smacking his back lightly. He laughed, kissing her temple. They stayed in that position for a few minutes. The realization hit them both hard, and they were basking in the feeling that they both loved each other.

"No other guy has said that to me," she muttered.

"No other girl has said that to me," he confessed.

"Really?" she asked, pulling back slightly.

"I'm no relationship guru, babe. My last 'relationship' was with this girl. We went out for a week. That was also my longest relationship."

"Until now."

"Until now. What about you?"

"My longest relationship, which was also my last, was with this one guy. We went out for six months."

"That's a long time."

She shrugged. "_Our_ relationship has lasted much longer."

"Thankfully."

She nodded. "He cheated on me."

His mouth dropped a tiny bit. "No."

"Oh, yeah."

"That asshole." He then pursed his lips. "That's how my last relationship ended."

"Why?"

"She thought we just had a one-night thing. I was totally misled."

She nodded, looking down. "I wouldn't 'put-out', as he so kindly put it."

Duncan immediately grew angry. "What's this guy's name? I am so going to give him a piece of my mind..."

"No, no, that was years ago," she muttered.

"Wait, how old were you?"

"I was..." She thought about it before responding, "Almost 16. And he was a Senior. I think he was 17 or 18."

"What a fucking-"

"Sweetie, we're - Oh, my goodness."

Duncan and Courtney both looked over at the door and saw Courtney's Mom standing in the doorway. "Hi, Mom," Courtney said.

"You must be... Duncan!" Courtney's Mom said, walking over to them.

"Hi, Mrs. Richardson," Duncan said, hopping off the bed and shaking her hand.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you," Mrs. Richardson said.

"You, too," Duncan said.

"Duncan just got here," Courtney said. "He brought me flowers and chocolate."

"Well, aren't you sweet?" her Mom said, smiling at Duncan.

"Where's Dad?" Courtney asked.

"Right here," Courtney's Dad said, walking into the room. He looked over at Duncan and said, "Oh... Hello."

"Hi, Mr. Richardson," Duncan said, shaking his hand. "I'm Duncan."

Mr. Richardson's stern glance softened as he gave the teen a small smile. "Aah. I didn't recognize you. You look different than you did on the show." He looked at Courtney and said, "We've got good news."

"You can go home tonight!" her Mom said happily, not even letting Courtney have the chance to guess.

"That's great," Courtney said, smiling softly.

"The nurse will be back with a prescription for you, and then we can go," her Dad informed her.

Courtney nodded. "Can you two give Duncan and I a minute to talk?" she asked.

"Of course," her Mom said.

Her Mom and Dad walked out. Once the door shut, Duncan looked at her and said, "Well, they seem to kinda like me."

Courtney softly laughed as Duncan sat on the edge of the bed. "They really don't," she muttered.

"Why?" he asked.

She sadly looked up at him. "I'm sure you can guess why."

"'Coz I'm a smart-ass teen who looks like the wrong type of person for someone like you."

She nodded, a sad expression still on her face. "I'm not breaking up with you, Duncan."

"I know." He smirked. "You would've done that... Oh, I don't know, sometime last year."

She rolled her eyes, also smirking. "Yep."

He chuckled. "Why don't you come over some time next week? I know my parents are working late... I think Thursday... But you can come over whenever..."

She shrugged. "We'll see. I don't have school next Friday."

"What a coincidence. Neither do I."

She grinned. "Well, we'll see how my week goes. I know my parents aren't too happy and will probably try to get me to quit my job..."

"Tell 'em what I say to my parents: Fuck you! Except in Italian. I can teach you that if you want..."

"Duncan!" she said, shocked.

He chuckled. "I've only said that once to them. I usually just ignore them or say 'Whatever'. In Italian, of course. Or French. Whichever pops out of my mouth first."

"You're so considerate."

"I know. Saying it in English would just be too easy."

"You'll have to teach me some Italian one day."

He shrugged. "If you want. My Dad'll speak to you in English, though. Same with my Nonna and the rest of my family."

She shrugged. "I want to learn it, though."

He smiled and leaned forward, giving her a small kiss. "_Ti amo_," he said.

She cocked her head slightly. "And what does that mean?"

"I love you."

She smiled, a glint in her eyes. "Well... _Je t'aime_."

"Aah, now you're speaking French to me... I love it. It's sexy."

She giggled. "And you speaking in Italian is rather sexy."

He laughed. "Really?" he asked, truly surprised.

"I'm being very serious," she said, smiling.

He shook his head, still smiling. "Well, then. That just may be my cue to leave."

"Aww," she said, grinning.

"But, next week: You are coming to my place, or I am driving to yours unexpectedly during the weekend," he said, standing up. "And I am serious."

"And I believe you," she said, staring up at him. "Thank you for the flowers and chocolate. You are truly a romantic."

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I'm glad you like them. _Ciao_, babe."

"_Ciao?_"

"Means 'bye'."

"Aah. _Ciao_, Dunkie!"


	5. First Time

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

**A/N: Yay, thank you all for the reviews! Keep 'em coming! Sorry about the late update... This chapter and the next one for "The Fake Engagement" have been leaving me stumped! Plus, I'm completely pre-occupied with other aspects of my life... I'll definitely have TFE posted soon, and hopefully the next chapter of this one soon. Thanks!**

Duncan sighed, flipping through the channels on his TV. That night, it was dark and rainy outside. It was also another boring, lonely night at his house. He was used to not seeing his older brother too much, not after he went off to college. His younger brother was at some party. Duncan never questioned him before, and he wasn't about to start now. Both his parents were working late and wouldn't be back until early in the morning.

A knock at the door "interrupted" his channel surfing. He glanced at the clock, seeing it was a little after seven-thirty. He sighed, pushing himself off the couch and lazily walked over to the door. No one usually knocked on their door, unless it was the mailman or some authority figure, and that was almost always during the daytime. He glanced through the peephole and worriedly frowned. Courtney was standing outside the door, staring down. He unlocked the door and slowly opened it, a concerned look still on his face.

"Courtney?" he asked, stepping onto the front porch.

Courtney looked up, a sad look on her face. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his torso, burying her face into his chest.

He instantly wrapped his arms around her and felt how wet she was, probably due to the extreme downpour. He gave the top of her head a kiss before resting his head on top of hers. He remained silent, not sure what to say or ask.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "I didn't mean to show up like this..."

"Don't apologize," he softly said. "I'm not doing anything, and no one else is here."

She took a deep breath in before letting it out. "Can we go in?"

"Of course," he said, letting go of her, but keeping a hand on her back, as they walked inside. He remembered how wet she was and said to her, "Let me get you a towel." He stepped into the bathroom that was right by the door and grabbed a towel from the closet before walking back over to Courtney, who seemed to be awkwardly standing there. He wrapped the towel around her and rubbed her arms and back, hoping to dry her off and warm her up.

"You sure you don't mind me here?" she asked as they sat down on his large couch.

"Babe, I could never get tired of seeing you," he said, resting the side of his head on the top of the couch.

She smiled softly, leaning back into the couch. She let out a sigh before saying, "I just needed someone to talk to..."

"Do your parents know you're here?" He hoped he didn't sound too blunt or too demanding. He knew they weren't his biggest fans, and he figured they probably wouldn't let her come out here this late at night.

She shook her head. "Nope."

He smirked. "Being rebellious now, are we?" he mischievously asked.

She let out a small laugh before telling him, "For your information, they're out of town. They left yesterday, and they'll be back either Monday or Tuesday."

"That's cool." He sat closer to her and asked, "So, what do you want to talk about?"

"Everything."

He shrugged. "Well, let's get crackin'."

"What college-level classes are you taking?" she asked, looking over at him.

He knew she was dodging a huge bullet, but wasn't going to pressure her into talking about anything. She would take her time. After all, she did say she wanted to talk about everything. "Calculus and World History," he said.

"How are you doing in Calculus?" she asked.

He chuckled. "Pretty good. Got an A average in there."

She looked at him, shocked. "Really?" she incredulously asked.

He smirked. "What? Surprised I'm doing so well?"

"A little," she honestly said.

He shrugged. "I've always been good at Math, for some reason. What about you? You taking Calculus?" When she nodded, he asked, "How are you doing?"

She sighed, looking down. "Not so good..." She shrugged and admitted, "I've never been that good at Math."

"Are you failing?"

She shook her head. "Oh, no. I can't fail any classes." She let out another sigh, picking at the ends of the towel. "I've got a C in there right now."

"Oh, that's not bad."

"It is if you're me!" she let out, feeling her eyes burn. Tears threatened to fall as she let out, "I have to get in A in there! If not, I'll lose so many scholarships, I won't get into a good college, not to mention my parents will be so disappointed..."

He watched her cover her face with her hands. He saw the tears slip underneath her hands on onto her jaw and neck. He was never the most comforting person. He always felt uncomfortable around those who cried. He wanted to make Courtney stop crying, he wanted her to feel better, but he wasn't sure how to do so. He reached over and started rubbing her arm. "Well, now that you know I'm doing well in my class, you can always come to me for help."

"My parents don't know I'm basically failing that class," she murmured, still covering her face.

"You're nowhere close to failing," he told her, shocked at how much grades really affected her.

"You don't understand," she murmured.

He sighed. He didn't want her storming out right after she got there. He was a bit surprised she made it out here, and would be incredibly worried if she decided to leave then. "Help me understand," he softly told her. "You're worried about losing scholarships..."

"I'm supposed to be Valedictorian," she muttered.

He pursed his lips. "Was that a dream of yours?"

"Everyone expects me to do so. Mom, Dad, the whole family, everyone at school... If I don't become Valedictorian, then I'll just be a failure..."

He knew that she would never be a failure, but didn't vocalize his thoughts. Instead, he said to her, "Well, then let me help you." He chuckled before painfully admitting, "This whole sad thing isn't your look, babe."

She smiled, her hands falling to her lap. She sniffed as she wiped some of the tears off her cheeks. "You must think I'm crazy..."

"Just a little bit," he said, an amused smirk on his face.

She sadly smiled, reaching over and grabbing one of his hands. "I just want everyone to be happy," she murmured.

"What about you?" he softly asked. She shrugged, remaining quiet. He frowned, feeling a lump grow in his throat. He quietly said to her, "Please don't tell me you're with me because you know it makes me happy..."

She vigorously shook her head, feeling her eyes burn once more. She looked up at him and said, her voice suddenly higher, "You're one of the few things in my life that makes me happy, Duncan. You have no idea how much you brighten my days..." A few tears fell before she squeakily said, "I love you so much, Duncan."

He instantly leaned forward, tightly wrapping his arms around her. He shut his eyes, trying to remain calm and not break down right there. This whole thing was leaving him incredibly emotional, and he didn't need himself and Courtney crying. "God, Court, I love you, too. I just..." He sighed, bringing her closer to him. "I just hate that you're doing this to yourself." He felt her shake beneath him, and even heard a few strangled sobs escape from her mouth. He started rubbing her back. "It'll be okay," he murmured. "Do you want to stay here tonight?" When she nodded, he said, "Alright. Maybe you should change clothes, because I'm sure you don't want to get wet... Wait, do you have extra clothes?"

"They're in my car," she murmured, leaning back.

He glanced outside and grimaced. "Maybe you should wait until the morning to get your bag, or wait until the rain stops some," he muttered, noticing the extreme downpour. "I don't want to go through Mom's clothes..."

"What about your brothers?"

"Dylan's at college and has his clothes, and I don't want you to wear Danny's clothes."

Perplexed, she asked, "Why?"

"Because he's a bigger perv than I am and I don't want him bragging about how a girl, especially you, wearing his clothes. He'll make up this big story and..." He sighed, shaking his head. "I probably have something that'll fit you."

Courtney nodded, standing up. "Okay. Lead the way."

Duncan stood up and walked upstairs, with Courtney closely following. She noticed lots of family pictures on the wall. She smiled at the pictures of a younger Duncan, who was smiling brighly in a lot of the photos. She followed him into his room and noticed how relatively clean it was. There were a few school books and some paper thrown around the floor, and his desk was messy, but other than that, he had a clean room. After looking at his bare walls and glancing over the contents that were in his bookshelf, she looked over and noticed him digging through his closet. She took a seat on his bed, adjusting the towel that was still wrapped around her.

"So..." Duncan started, turning. "I've got these gray shorts from a couple of years ago that I hope fit you..." he said, tossing her the pair of shorts. "...and then I have these two shirts..." He held up the two shirts. One was back with many skulls and bones on it, and the other was a gray shirt from his high school.

"I'll wear the gray one," Courtney said.

Duncan tossed the shirt to her, smirking. "I figured you would say that," he muttered, tossing the other shirt back into his closet. He gestured to the right side of his and said, "There's the bathroom. You can change in there."

"You have your own bathroom?" Courtney asked, standing up.

Duncan shook his head. "Nope. Me and Dylan shared it, but then he moved out, so... Well, I guess I do have my own bathroom."

Courtney smiled, rolling her eyes. She went into the bathroom and shut the door behind her. She undressed herself and felt that her bra and underwear were wet. She wasn't sure whether to keep them on or not, but after thinking about it for a minute, she took off her bra and changed into the clothes Duncan gave her. She snuck her bra into her wet shirt, hoping Duncan wouldn't notice that she wasn't wearing a bra. The shorts were a bit loose, so she tied those up with the drawstring, and those ended at the top of her knees. The shirt fit her surprisingly well. Well, it hung a bit around her, but it ended right where the shorts started (and those were set a bit low, anyway). She used the towel that was wrapped around her to dry out her hair some. She stepped out of the bathroom and placed her wet clothes onto the floor next to the bathroom. She looked over and saw him quietly talking on the phone while leaning against the door.

He looked up and rolled his eyes at her. He held up his index finger and mouthed, "One second."

She nodded and sat on the bed, crossing her legs. She looked around and saw his Math book on the floor. As she picked it up, she noticed plenty of notes and other papers crammed into the textbook. She flipped to the area where the notes ended, and noticed that those notes were from that day. They were at the exact same point. She glanced over his notes, and saw that he had even started his homework while jotting notes. As she looked through the homework, she noticed all his answers were right, and they were all completely worked out.

"Looking through my work, huh?"

Smirking, she said, "Just seeing where you are... We're at the same point in the book."

He plopped down on the bed beside her and said, "Well, that's a good thing. Though, I wouldn't have minded being ahead or behind you... It's pretty simple stuff..."

She sighed, a smile laying on her face. She rested her head on his shoulder. She felt his hand rest on the area where the shirt and shorts met for a few seconds before creeping under her shirt. His hand moved slowly along her hip and stomach. She shivered in pleasure, but also shivered because his hand was freezing. "Why are you so cold?" she murmured.

He chuckled. "Are you a bit cold yourself?" he suggestively asked.

She didn't need to look down or ask anything. She knew that he saw that she wasn't wearing a bra. She smiled softly as she felt his finger draw circles and just move around her stomach. She smiled up at him, a mischievous glint in her eyes, and said, "Maybe I am..." She shrugged before adding, "Maybe I like what you're doing."

He smirked before tilting her chin up and giving her a kiss. She kissed him back, her hands toying with the ends of his shirt. Why not try to give him the same feeling that he's giving to her? She placed her hands under his shirt and ran them along his stomach and torso. She was shocked to find that he had a six-pack. She gingerly touched them, her fingers lightly scraping against them. She grinned, feeling him shudder under her touch.

Suddenly, she was being pushed down and was soon laying on the bed. They were making out until Duncan broke the kiss and started leaving kisses on her neck. One of her hands laid on his arm, the other on his head. His hands were slowly pulling her shirt up as he continued to plant kisses on her neck. He stopped as the shirt was bunched beneath her breasts. He sat up slightly and looked down at her. She looked up at him and nodded before sitting up herself. She lifted her shirt above her head and idly tossed it onto the floor. She looked over and saw Duncan also tossing his shirt to the floor.

For the next few minutes, all she felt was bliss. She had completely forgotten about everything else and was focusing just on Duncan and where his hands and mouth were moving. He seemed to know exactly how to kiss her, and some of the places where he kissed (and even bit) her left her gasping and moaning for more. When he stuck a finger (and later two) inside of her, she wanted to scream out in pleasure.

She wasn't too keen on just laying there, as she wanted to provide a bit of pleasure to Duncan, but she was enjoying the feeling that he provided, and just by looking at his large (well, rather large) and erect member, she was obviously doing something that turned him on. Maybe it was the way she said his name, whether she cried it out or whispered it. Maybe it was her whimpers or moans. Maybe it was the way she involuntarily touched herself as Duncan's kisses went father down her body.

Then came the big moment. Even though she was on the pill (it helped balance her hormones when her period arrived), she still wanted Duncan to use a condom for that time. He spent a few minutes searching, but finally found one. Initially, it hurt, but she soon grew past the discomfort and was soon filled with pleasure she couldn't even comprehend.

---

"Duncan?"

"Shit," Duncan murmured, quickly tossing the covers off of him. He threw on his boxes and quickly headed over to the door. He threw on his shirt for good measures and unlocked the locked door. He knew he'd be in trouble for locking his door.

"Duncan, do you know who's car is outside?" Duncan's Mom asked, her voice a little too loud for him.

"It's Courtney's, and she's still asleep," Duncan quietly informed her.

Mrs. Evan's slight angry face turned into a calmer one as she nodded. "That's why it's from Toronto... Okay. Just, please leave a note next time we're not here and she decides to drop by for the night. I was afraid a stranger was in our house."

"Did you two just get back?" he asked, glancing at his clock which read 7:38AM.

She nodded. "We worked overtime. Well, just remember to keep your door unlocked while she's here. And, because you two are sleeping, I'll let you keep the door shut, but when you two are awake..."

"Gotcha," Duncan said, winking.

Mrs. Evans rolled her eyes as she said, "See you later, sweetie. Sleep well."

"You, too," he muttered before shutting the door and going back to his bed. He quietly and softly got back into his bed and looked over at Courtney. She looked so peaceful while she slept. He reached over and moved a few hairs out of her face. He glanced over her body, her beautiful body. Most of it was covered by the sheet, but he knew she was still naked, just like he was moments ago.

He was still astonished someone like her was with someone like him. She was beautiful and smart, and he was an average-looking Italian (well, Canadian-Italian) who never made the smartest decisions. Their walls were slowly falling and their true colors were starting to show. She seemed to be insecure and was basically fighting to maintain her image (which was to be an incredibly smart person). He was turning out to be a smart and pretty caring person. But, how would things change after they graduated? He really wanted to be with her for a long time. Forever sounded like a plan. He wasn't sure if he was going to college - he was pushing deadlines to apply. It wasn't that his grades were bad - they were quite good, but he wasn't even sure what he wanted to do in life. He knew she wanted to be a lawyer, and he knew she was going to work hard to be one. He figured she would attend University of Toronto, for it was a prestigious school and one of the best, if not the best, in Canada. Or she could go to McGill, which was in Montreal. His cousin, Brian, lived there, and he knew a few other people there, too, so if he decided to move there with Courtney, he wouldn't have to completely start new. But what if she decided to go to the US? He knew about visas, and since he probably wasn't going to college and wasn't going to be a student, he wouldn't be able to stay long (legally, anyway). If she decided to go there, maybe he would join here... Maybe...

He sighed, running his hands over his face. He didn't want to think about those things at that moment, so he thought about the previous night.

He thought that the previous night was incredible. Normally after sleeping with a girl, he'd go off bragging to all his friends, talking about how he got laid and what the girl did for him. It wasn't about him last night, though - it was about Courtney, and he made sure that she felt great. Just by her actions, he knew he was giving her one hell of a time. He sure wasn't about to tell anyone about it, though. Nobody needed to know that they had sex except for them.

After laying in bed for a few minutes, he knew he wasn't going back to sleep. He got up and sat at his desk, turning on his computer. He browsed the internet, returning messages and comments on Facebook and checking his e-mail and Twitter and browsing other websites. After about forty-five minutes of browsing the internet and idly working on his homework, he heard his bed creaking. He quickly finished a problem and turned around.

Courtney was standing up, pulling her underwear up. Her bra was already back on, and she was reaching down to grab her shirt.

"You know, you look better without all of that on," he said.

She jumped lightly before turning to him. "Well, good morning to you, too," she sleepily said.

He chuckled, standing up. As he walked over to her, she finished putting her shorts and shirt back on. "Sleep well?" he asked, bending down and giving her a "good-morning" kiss.

"Mmhmm," she muttered, smiling up at him.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, remembering her initial discomfort. He heard stories about girls feeling pains the afterward and even the next day.

She shrugged. "Alright. I'll need to stretch a bit before I leave the room..."

"Ooh, what kind of stretches?"

She laughed. "Just some yoga... That you'll probably like..."

He laughed, turning around. "Babe, you do your thing real quick. I'll just be here finishing some homework."

"Wow, Duncan actually studying," Courtney said, mock-shocked.

He smirked, letting out a chuckle. What she didn't know was that he was definitely going to be watching her. Well, he said he was going to do his homework, so he was going to do a bit of that. His desktop monitor was off, and he could clearly see her reflection on the screen. He finished a few problems, staring at her through the corner of his eye. He noticed her doing some basic stretches - rolling her shoulders, standing up and raising her arms above her head, arm swinging... What surprised him was how she was lifting her legs. She could bend them backwards and have her toes touch her shoulders, but could also hold her legs up in front of her. He figured she could put her ankles behind her head, which would create some fun times in bed...

He held back his groan as he placed his head on his arm, looking down at his work. It was too early to feel like this. Well, it wasn't THAT early, but his whole family was home, and he didn't need or want them to hear any of what he wanted to do to her.

Courtney smiled, finishing her stretches. She saw that he was slumping over. She knew he was watching her, and knew that her reflection on his computer was how he was going to watch her. Normally she didn't stretch her legs that much, but decided to give them an extra stretch... Well, mostly she wanted to see Duncan's reaction, and it was perfect. As she laid on her back, she smelled something. Or she thought she did, so she asked, "Do you smell anything?"

Duncan sniffed before responding, "Breakfast." He grinned and turned around. "Mm. Mom and Dad are cooking."

Courtney laughed as she stood up. "Who normally does the cooking?"

"Nobody," Duncan responded, also standing up.

"I thought Italian's always cooked grand meals?" Courtney asked as they stepped outside of the room.

"Eh, mostly dinner," Duncan said. "Nonna will cook every single meal, though. Here... Mom and Dad work so much, but somehow dinner's always cooked..."

"Good morning!" Mrs. Evans said as they walked into the kitchen.

"Morning," Duncan muttered, sitting at the table.

"Good morning," Courtney said, sitting next to Duncan.

"Are you two hungry?" Duncan's Mom asked.

"Starving," Duncan replied.

"Yes," Courtney said, smiling at Duncan, who smirked in return.

"Where's Dad?" he asked.

"Asleep," his Mom said. "He had a few bites while cooking, but decided to go to sleep." She turned around and asked Courtney, "You're lactose intolerant, right?" When Courtney nodded, she sighed and shit, "I accidentally put regular milk into all of this..."

"It's okay," Courtney said. "I've got these pills I can take if I eat too much dairy. I can handle a little bit."

"They have pills for that?" Duncan asked. Courtney rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Are you sure you don't want me to fix you up something else?" Duncan's Mom asked, worriedly glancing at Courtney.

Courtney nodded. "It's okay. I promise."

"Well, you two help yourselves," Mrs. Evans said, wiping her hands on her apron. She untied her apron and hung it on a hook on the pantry door. "I'm going to go to sleep for a few hours."

"See you later," Duncan said. He looked at Courtney and said, "You know, if you don't want any of this, I can cook you something..."

Courtney rolled her eyes as she stood up and grabbed a plate. "Thanks, but no thanks. I don't want any of my food burnt."

Duncan gasped, mock-hurt. He walked over behind Courtney and said, "I'll have you know that I can cook. In fact, I can cook very well."

Courtney rolled her eyes as she turned around. She leaned up and gave him a quick kiss before saying, "I'm sure you can. You can cook me lunch if you want."

"Deal."


	6. Picture Attack

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews! Big warning for this chapter: There is quite a bit of language in this chapter. I've cussed in this story and TFE, and I haven't heard any complains about it, but still... Just for those who don't like it too much: Here's your warning. Thanks! **

_Can you come over?_

_sure. what time?_

_Now?_

_k. how was school?_

_Awful._

_stressed?_

_Very._

_what's up?_

Courtney sighed as she snapped her phone shut. She didn't bother replying to Duncan's text message. She started up her car and drove away from her school. She wasn't stressed out from her job or work at school - she was stressed out because of something Duncan did. A few days prior, they accidentally met up at the mall, and after meeting up, they headed back to her house, where she dressed up in some lingerie for him. He took a few pictures of her with his cell phone before they continued on with a few other activities before her parents got home.

Earlier that day, she had received one of those pictures from a couple of her friends. A lot of the people at her school had gotten the photo, and word spread fast. She was confused at first, not knowing where the picture came from, until she remembered Duncan had taken that picture days earlier. She then immediately became furious with her boyfriend. During lunch with her friends, she started screaming, letting out all her emotions. She was confused, upset, angry, but mostly hurt. She gave herself up to him. She shared her secrets with him. She let her guard down around him. She trusted him.

That trust vanished once she received that picture.

She hated thinking bad thoughts about their relationship, since they put so much into keeping it together. She hated thinking that he was just using her to get inside her pants and then humiliate her. She figured he wasn't like that. Sure, he humiliated Harold on a daily basis back on Total Drama, and that was in front of millions of viewers. She never figured he would do something like that. They professed their love for one another!

As she pulled up to her house, she felt like crying. She held her head up high and kept the tears at bay as she stepped out of her car and walked into her house. Thankfully, her parents weren't at home, nor would they be until later that night. Another finish to a big case, another big party. She threw her stuff down onto the couch and plopped herself down, staring down. She took a few deep breaths, calming herself down. True, she may have been mad at Duncan, but she didn't want to display extreme emotions around Duncan. She wanted to try and have a calm, civilized conversation with him.

She then stood up. She felt a bit thirsty and started to head towards the kitchen when suddenly she stopped. Her heart was beating incredibly, and it felt a bit uncomfortable, almost as if it was going to pop out of her. She was shaking lightly, her hands shaking the most. She shook her arms and hands, hoping the feeling would go away, and began to grow a bit scared when it wouldn't. Her stomach seemed to have dropped, as nausea was also hitting her. Her breathing was becoming a bit erratic as she reached over and held onto the couch.

"Shit," she whispered, a feeling of panic overwhelming her.

_Panic?_

"No, no, no..." she muttered, desperately wanting to cry. She knew exactly what was going on, and she absolutely hated the feeling. She knew she was going through another panic attack. The first two times she felt like she was going to die. Her body felt like it was going to collapse at any moment. This didn't feel any different. It was an unbearable feeling, something she hated repeating.

She literally collapsed onto the couch. She sat up for a few moments before laying on her side, staring ahead of her. The feeling wasn't getting any better, and it felt like it was getting worse. She wasn't thinking about being mad at Duncan more. All she could think as she laid there was: _Please get here soon, Duncan..._

Surprisingly, he arrived a lot quicker than she expected. While she felt like she was laying there forever, it was only ten minutes since her panic attack had started when she heard a knock at the door. She couldn't move, though. It was like her body was paralyzed, stuck there. She didn't even feel like moving, for she didn't want to fall or harm herself in any way.

"Courtney?"

Her eyes widened, but she didn't calm down any. Surprisingly, she couldn't speak, either. Maybe her mind and body wouldn't let her. She shut her eyes, trying to take deep breaths, but that was unsuccessful. Suddenly, she heard the door open, and was so glad she forgot to lock it as she heard him enter.

"Cour- Hey..." he said.

She opened her eyes and saw Duncan standing at the end of the couch. She desperately wanted to say something to him, but she couldn't even open her mouth.

"You okay?" Duncan softly asked, walking over to her and bending down in front of her.

She felt the tears welling up in her eyes. Her anger wasn't showing, but instead she became upset. She was upset because of this panic attack, and upset because of what he did. She felt a sob escape her mouth, but instead it sounded like a choked breath.

"What's wrong?" he asked, clearly concerned.

She started to cry more because she couldn't respond back. She was going crazy because she couldn't explain herself verbally. Although her arm felt tingly and weird to move, she grabbed his hand and started to move it like she was writing.

"Uh, uh..." He groaned, trying to figure out what she meant. "Write...?" When she nodded, he said, "You need pen and paper?" He stood up when she nodded and noticed her bag on the couch. He opened it and wasn't surprised to find pen and paper immediately. He grabbed a notebook and opened it to a clear page and held it out for her. She used her free hand to grab both items before placing them on the coffee table in front of her. She cursed herself for her now messy handwriting, which read:

_panic attack_

"Oh, my God..." he quickly muttered, staring at her with wide eyes. "Um..."

She shut her eyes. She was trying to think positive thoughts, thoughts of her breaking free from this panic attack, but everything just seemed to go back to Duncan and the photo he sent out.

"Calm down..." he told her, grabbing her hand. "I don't know how this started, but just... just, uh, just think happy thoughts... Like puppies and rainbows..." She cracked a tiny smile, though her breathing was still erratic. He suddenly placed his hand over her heart. She could feel his heartbeat, which was surprisingly beating at a normal rate. His breathing was also surprisingly normal. "You need to calm down. Ma used to do this to me when I went crazy as a child."

While it felt like it took forever, she finally caught on with his breathing and started calming down. The man she was just furious with was calming her down. She grew confused as she stared away. She didn't understand - he was acting as if nothing happened.

"Yeah, there you go..." Duncan murmured, keeping her hand firmly placed over his heart. Her shaking stopped. Her nausea was still there, but not as intense. Her breathing and heart rate had calmed down. She looked at Duncan, who was staring at her worriedly. She sat up, hanging on to the couch and making sure she was doing it slowly. Suddenly, he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her.

She rested her head on his shoulder, shutting her eyes before quietly saying, "We need to talk..."

She felt him stiffen for a few seconds before pulling back. "Sure. What's up?" he asked, getting up and sitting beside her on the couch.

She kept her eyes shut for a few more moments, also keeping quiet during that time, before opening them and looking over at Duncan. She suddenly reached into her pocket, getting out her phone. She fumbled while opening it and looking through the menus, but finally reached the photo. She stared at it for a few moments before turning it around and showing it to him.

He pulled the phone closer to him lightly, getting a better glance at it. He then glanced at her and muttered, "When-" He paused once more before muttering, "I never sent this to you..."

"I know..." she muttered, shutting the phone. "_My friends_ sent it to me."

His eyebrows furrowed as he stared at her. "_Your friends_? How did they get the photo?"

"I don't know," she firmly said, narrowing her eyes at him. "How did they get the photo?"

He raised an eyebrow before pointing to himself. "You think _I_ sent the photo?"

"No shit, Sherlock."

He knew she was serious by the way she was staring at him. He could see it all in her eyes; the anger, the confusion, the sadness, the hurt... He didn't know what to say. He knew she'd get even more upset, but he went ahead and said, "I don't even know your friends numbers."

"Who the hell did you send the photo to, then?! Because they knew my friends numbers! And everyone's at school!" she exclaimed, on the verge of another breaking point.

"Look, Court, you need to calm-"

"DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!" she screamed, standing up. "I can't believe you would do something like this, Duncan! I... I... I fucking trusted you, Duncan!"

"Courtney, you have to believe me," he said, slowly standing up. "I would never, _ever_, do something like this."

"You were the only one with those photos," she scathingly said, glaring at him. "Did your phone get stolen?"

"No."

"Then there's no excuse!" She took a long, deep breath before asking, "Why, Duncan? Why would you send this out?"

"I..." Suddenly it dawned on him. A couple of his friends were looking at his phone the previous day, and they seemed pretty pleased with what they saw on his phone. He didn't think about it much then, but now that he thought about it, he figured they must have saw the picture and had sent it to their phones to send to other people. "Those bastards..."

"Oh, so you did send it out?"

"Shut up, and listen to me," he calmly told her. "I didn't send it out to anyone. I told you: I would never do anything like that. My friends..." He sighed, already uncomfortable at what he was about to say. "They were looking at my phone, and I guess they sent the picture to themselves before sending it off to their friends. I'm not sure how it got to your school, but..." He sighed and shrugged.

"Why was it still on your phone?!"

He groaned. "I don't know, babe. I really don't. Next time-"

"Next time with some other girl."

_Fuck_. "'Some other girl'? You...you're breaking up with me because of this?" Stunned was only a small percentage of the many emotions and thoughts that were running through his head at that moment.

"You kept almost-naked pictures of me on your phone. Your friends saw them. They ended up at my school and to my friends. Duncan, my school now knows what I look like without most of my clothes on! I'm going to get taunted and teased for the rest of the year! You should have seen everyone's faces and what they said." She gasped and continued, "What if the colleges I've applied to find out about this? I certainly won't be accepted. I'll have to go to some lower-end college with mediocre classes..."

He was completely speechless. Those pictures were meant for him and him only, and as each second passes, he was growing madder and madder at the two of his friends. He couldn't relate with her, but she was acting mortified. "I have no idea how you're feeling."

"I know."

"You know I never meant for anyone to see those photos, right?"

She shrugged, clearly not caring. "I don't know, Duncan. They stay on your phone for days when they could've been already on your computer or deleted or whatever..."

"Yeah, I would never delete those."

"And neither will any of the guys who received them, you skeeze. They're probably all jacking off to my photo right now!"

"Now, I seriously doubt that..."

"You should have seen the way guys looked at me today. You should have heard the things they said about me today."

Duncan was growing angry. He was angry at his friends, angry at those guys hitting on Courtney, and of course he was angry at himself. "Who's asses should I be kicking?"

"I can kick people's asses all by myself, Duncan! I can defend myself, y'know."

He nodded, smirking. "I do know."

"You shouldn't be glad I haven't kicked your ass yet."

"You wouldn't touch me."

"Oh, really?"

His smirk widened. "On second thought, you probably would touch me."

"The only things that would be 'touching' are my feet and your balls, _sweetheart_."

He took a small step back, letting out a few chuckles. "So we won't be having sex today?"

"You sexist, unloyal, rude, cocky, arrogant, selfish piece of shit! No we won't be having sex today!"

He grinned, sitting back down on the couch. "Feeling better?"

"No, you dumb ogre! You're here asking if we're going to have sex when your dumbass friends sent out naked pictures of me!"

"You weren't naked."

"CLOSE ENOUGH!"

"Oh, come on, you know you love me," he said, patting the space next to him. "You'll forgive me."

She huffed, crossing her arms and sitting down next to him. "I hate you."

"Aah, love you, too."

"No, I really do hate you."

"But you love me."

She sighed and muttered, "I guess I do..."

"You don't completely hate me. I saved your life."

"Panic attacks don't kill people."

"Still. You don't completely hate me."

She sighed, rubbing her forehead. She looked over and said, "You better not be lying. If I find out you sent those photos, we will be over."

"I promise." He grabbed her hand and said, "The only person I want masturbating to you is me."

She grimaced and muttered, "I didn't want to know that."

"Oh, come on. Don't act like I'm not a horny teenager."

"I still didn't want to know that. I don't need to know what you do when you get bored in your room at night."

"Oh, babe, it doesn't only happen at night."

She groaned, placing her head in her hands. "You are impossible!"

He chuckled, leaning back.

She looked over and said, "I do want to say thank you, though."

He shrugged, smiling softly. "No prob. You want to go out tonight?"

"Not really. We can order some takeout and then watch some movies here if you want."

"Sounds like a plan."


	7. Supporting Her

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted. _

**A/N: Thank you all for the reviews! I had such a hard time writing this chapter... My sister had a music performance this past weekend, and well, that partially inspired this chapter! Keep up the reviews, and I hope you all enjoy this!**

"_Please, Duncan?_"

Duncan groaned, rubbing his forehead. He was on the phone with Courtney, and she had just invited him to her Winter Recital, where she would be playing the violin and had a few solos. "Babe, I don't really listen to that stuff much..."

"_I don't like begging, Duncan_."

"Well..." He groaned and muttered, "_Bene, bene_..." He sighed. "_Fine_. I'll come."

Courtney squealed, causing him to chuckle lightly. "_You'll love it!_"

"Doubt it. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to call someone to bring with me."

"_Okay. Just don't cause a scene, okay_?"

"Babe, I wouldn't embarrass you."

"_Let's not go there. I'll see you tomorrow night at 7PM. I'll send you directions_."

"Bye." He hung up the phone and started going through his contact list. He instantly grinned when he saw his cousin's name and immediately pressed the "call" button.

"Hello?"

"Brian, you're coming to Toronto tomorrow."

"..._No. No, I'm not_."

"Dude, you have to come to Toronto!"

"_I don't have to do anything_."

"Brian, you have to come with my to Courtney's concert."

"_She's singing_?"

"What?"

"_You said her concert_."

"She plays the violin."

"_Oh, that's cool_."

"So you're coming with?"

"_Oh, no_."

"Please, man?"

"_Begging is not your thing_..."

"I will pay for your gas!"

"_And let me stay the whole weekend_?"

"The folks won't care. Will yours?"

"_I don't think so_."

"Well, then, what's the big deal?"

He could hear Brian laugh. His cousin responded, "_Fine, fine, I'll come to Toronto. What's so important about this concert, anyway_?"

"I dunno. Courtney just really wants me to go."

"_That's sweet. Where is it at_?"

"Hold on, she just sent me the e-mail," Duncan muttered, clicking on the e-mail his girlfriend sent him. He gasped, his eyes widening. "Dude, you'll never guess where her thing is it!"

"_Central Toronto_?" Brian sarcastically asked.

"Haha, smartass. Guess the building."

"_Oh, I don't know. UT_?"

Duncan groaned. "How did you guess?" he muttered.

Brian laughed. "_I was right?! Awesome! Dude, I just guessed. That's pretty cool, though. She must be in... dude! She's in the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra_!"

"What?" Duncan asked, skimming over the e-mail for any indication she was in what his cousin mentioned.

"_Mom did it years ago. She always talked about how much fun it was to perform at UT. Don't those concerts cost money, though_?"

"Nah, Courtney's got me covered," Duncan muttered, reading her note at the bottom of the e-mail. She had four tickets reserved for him. "I wonder if Ma and Dad will want to go... MA!"

"_God, man, yell away from the phone next time_," Brian muttered.

"You called?" Duncan's Mom asked as she opened his door.

"Courtney's having this Orchestra thing tomorrow at UT," Duncan explained. "She's got four tickets for me. I'm inviting Brian. You think you and Dad will want to go?"

"It should be fine," his Mom said, nodding her head. "How long will Brian be staying?"

"Until Sunday, I guess," Duncan said, shrugging.

"How will he get here?"

"_I'll be driving_," Brian told Duncan, who relayed the information to his Ma.

"Alright. Dinner will be ready soon."

"Okay," Duncan said as his Mom left the room. "Well, 'Cuz, I guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow."

"_See ya_."

---

"I am so underdressed," Brian muttered.

"Arent we both," Duncan agreed, also muttering.

The cousins were both wearing a polo shirt with jeans. Neither coordinated their outfits, they just both happened to think that their outfits would be appropriate for this event. Most people, including Dunan's parents, were dressed up in very formal clothes.

"What am I doing here?" Brian mumbled as the four of them found their seats. They were seated in the middle of the hall, but on the left side. He uncomfortably glanced around him, grimacing at how out-of-place he thought he was.

"Oh, shut up," Duncan muttered. "Just act like you own the place. Or just don't look at anyone."

"I don't know, man," Brian muttered, glancing around. "These people know they own the place."

"Ma, do you have some sort of relaxant for Mr. Nervous here?" Duncan asked, glancing at his Mom.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" Duncan's Mom asked, looking over at Brian.

"He feels like he doesn't belong here," Duncan muttered.

Both of Duncan's parents laughed. "Quite a few of them know who we are," Duncan's Dad informed Brian, now looking at his nephew.

"How's that?" Brian asked, causing his cousin to roll his eyes.

"We work in this district from time to time," Duncan's Dad explained.

Brian crossed his arms. "I'm so underdressed," he muttered, leaning his head back.

Duncan's parents laughed. "Duncan, why don't you take your cousin outside for a few minutes?"

"I would if this thing wasn't starting," Duncan muttered as the lights dimmed.

The students began assembling onto the stage. Duncan easily found Courtney, for she was one of the first people to step onto the stage. He grinned, his teenage mind going to how sexy she looked in her white button-up blouse and black pants.

His Mom gasped and whispered to Duncan, "Courtney is first chair!"

"What?" Duncan asked, not knowing much about music.

"She's the head of the violin section," his Mom explained.

Duncan nodded as the program started. He thought the program would be short, for there were only four pieces, but he was very surprised to find that each piece was very long. Even though he wanted to get up and walk out, he had to stay in there and stay put. His cousin, on the other hand, kept moving in his chair.

"Brian, will you stop?" Duncan asked as people clapped in between songs.

"Dude, I'm ready to walk out," Brian muttered.

"One more song," Duncan muttered as the conductor talked.

"Courtney's been doing good," Brian muttered. Duncan nodded in agreement. Courtney had a couple of solos, but just during the first two songs. The third one displayed more of the band, whereas the other songs had a lot of strings parts. Courtney was very into the moment as she performed her solos. He knew she was concentrating very hard on not messing up. In this final song, she had a long solo. Even though Duncan wanted to fall asleep, he perked up when Courtney started playing. To him, she sounded perfect.

When the final song was over, the audience immediately stood up, giving the orchestra a standing ovation. Duncan and his family, of course, joined in. He had this feeling inside of him; he was so happy for Courtney, and was very proud of her. She juggled so much in her life, and he was in awe at how well she performed. They started to head out into the lobby, and he noticed the performers also starting to head there. He glanced around and saw that the performers were given flowers by their family and friends, and mentally kicked himself for not bringing any for Courtney.

"Sweetie, we're going to head out to the car, so whenever you're done here, just meet us out there," his Mom said to him. "And tell Courtney she did a wonderful job!"

"Okay," Duncan muttered, still looking around for his girlfriend.

"I'll stay here," Brian informed his aunt and uncle, who then walked out of the building.

Suddenly, Duncan spotted Courtney. She looked a bit flushed and embarrassed as she talked to a few other people. He didn't want to intrude, but soon their eyes met. Her face grew excited as she probably excused herself from her friends and walked over to Duncan.

"You came, huh?" his girlfriend asked, leaning forward and giving him a hug.

Duncan chuckled, returning the hug. "You were great, Court."

She grinned, her face flushing lightly. "Oh, it was alright," she murmured.

He rolled his eyes, ruffling her hair. "I don't care about this type of music, but I know what good music is, and you played damn well tonight."

She rolled her eyes, smirking. "Thank you."

"Where are your parents?" he asked.

"Uhh..." She looked around. "They're somewhere around here..." She looked back at him and asked, "Where are yours?"

"In the car." Duncan shrugged before adding, "They told me to tell you that you did a wonderful job."

"There you two are!" Brian said, suddenly appearing next to them. He looked at his cousin's girlfriend and said, "I almost fell asleep during this thing."

Duncan's mouth fell open as Courtney laughed. "You are so rude!" Duncan said, slapping his cousin's arm, causing Courtney to giggle even more.

"I'm rude? You're the one that just hit me in public!" Brian said, slapping Duncan's arm.

Duncan raised an eyebrow. "And you hit me back."

"That's because you hit me first!"

"Okay, you two, be nice now," Courtney muttered as her parents walked over.

"Aah, Duncan, what a surprise to see you here!" Courtney's Dad said.

Duncan softly chuckled, a bit surprised at how straightforward and almost rude her Dad sounded. "Just supporting my girlfriend..."

"Darling, we'll be heading home now," Courtney's Mom said. "When do you think you'll be home?"

"Eleven at the latest," Courtney told her parents, who nodded.

"Be safe," Courtney's Mom said, leaning forward and giving her daughter a hug. When she leaned back, she told her daughter's boyfriend, "It was nice seeing you again, Duncan."

Duncan smiled softly, nodding. "You, too."

As soon as her parents were out of earshot, Brian lowly whistled. "They didn't even say hello to me."

Courtney couldn't help but grin as Duncan rolled his eyes. "They barely acknowledge me. What makes you think they're going to care about you?"

"Hello, I'm obviously more good-looking than you - OW!"

"That's what you get for being such an ass!" Duncan said, punching his cousin's arm.

"Are you two heading back to Hamilton?" Courtney asked.

Duncan shrugged. "Did you have anything in mind?"

"Well, I'm hungry..."

"Do you want to go out on a little date?" Duncan quietly asked.

Courtney coyly shrugged, reaching up and resting her hand on her opposite arm. "Brian's here, though," she murmured.

"Hey, Brian, wanna spend the night at Dylan's place?"

"Will his girlfriend mind?" Brian asked.

"They broke up. And she never lived with him. He's got a roommate that probably won't care."

Brian shrugged. "Sure."

"Will you tell my parents we're spending the night here?" Duncan asked. Brian nodded and walked outside. Duncan looked down at Courtney and asked, "Where do you want to go?"

Courtney shrugged. "Anywhere at this point, really. I'm starving."

"Same here," Duncan muttered, remembering that he hadn't eaten since lunch. "How does Dennys sound?"

Courtney nodded. "That sounds good. Do you want Brian to come with us?"

"Not really," Duncan said, earning a set of giggles from Courtney. "What? I haven't seen you in a couple of weeks, not since the concert."

"Where does your brother live?" she asked.

"Oh, here on campus. He lives in one of the apartments around here."

"Will he care?"

"He has no choice."

"I can't take you back to Hamilton..."

"If my brother cares that much, then I'll call Ma and Dad and get one of them to pick us up. Shoot, I'll call Danny if I have to."

"Courtney!" one of her friends said, running over to them. "A bunch of us are having dinner at the Denny's near campus. Want to join us?"

"Sure," Courtney said, smiling. As soon as her friend walked off, she looked up at Duncan and said, "Maybe we should take Brian with us."


	8. Snowball Huddling

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

**A/N: Whoopsie! I'm so sorry about not updating in well over a month. As I said in TFE, I just got a new job, which means I'm working A LOT. That, and I had a horrible writers block for this. Things are picking up, though, so hopefully I'll be able to update this and the sequel to TFE more periodically! And thank you for the reviews, but more would be great as well. Remember, if you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them! And make sure to catch the finale of Total Drama Action (or at least the little piece that connects Total Drama Action and Total Drama World Tour) tomorrow! **

"_DUNCAN!_"

Duncan chuckled, glancing down at Courtney through his window. She was walking up to his house, texting on her phone. He had a snowball hidden in his windowsill and decided to throw it at her while she wasn't looking.

"You made me drop my phone!"

"Oh, boo hoo. Did I break it?"

Courtney sighed, picking up her phone. It was still on, and there weren't any noticeable scratches on it. "No..."

"Well, then stop your complaining."

She glowered at him, hands on her hips as she stared up at him. "Why did you have a snowball up there, anyway?"

"There's snow on my windowsill, babe."

"And you decided to throw it at me?"

"Not necessarily. I was going to throw it at whoever walked by, and well...." While he was talking to her, he saw his cousin, Brian, sneaking up behind her. He knew his cousin didn't see anything that had just happened - they would have both heard his laughter. He noticed Courtney couldn't tell his cousin she was sneaking up on him, so he continued to talk to her. "What, you don't like snowball fights, babe?"

"This is not a snowball fight."

"That's what you think."

She raised an eyebrow, looking at him with a challenging look on her face. "Excuse me?"

Before he could answer, his cousin threw a rather large snowball at the back of her head. She gasped after letting out a screech, sending Duncan and Brian into fits of laughter. Courtney glowered at Brian, her face incredibly red, before she quickly turned to Duncan. Pointing at him, she said, "_You caused all of this!_"

"Oh... no, babe... I didn't do anything," Duncan said, continuing to chuckle while talking to her.

"What, did he throw a snowball at you, too?" Brian asked, still grinning.

"She thinks we coordinated a double-attack on her," Duncan said, smirking.

"Why did you throw such a big snowball at my head?!" Courtney snapped, turning to Brian.

Duncan chuckled once more before throwing on a jacket and a pair of shoes. He headed out of his room and downstairs before heading outside, where he saw Courtney pelting Brian with snowballs. He chuckled, sitting down on the top step and watching two of his favorite people continue to throw snow at each other. After a few minutes, Brian fell down in defeat and just sat there and tried to protect his face as Courtney continued to throw snow at him.

"Court!" Duncan called out. "You're gonna kill him!"

Courtney was startled to hear Duncan so close. She quickly turned around and glared at him. "He threw a huge snowball at the back of my head!"

"Blah, blah, blah," Duncan muttered, standing up. He brushed the snow off of him before walking over to her. "Did you miss me, babe?"

"It's been three days since I last saw you," Courtney muttered, rolling her eyes.

"I'll take that as an, '_Of course, Duncan!_'."

"You're so egotistical."

"I know."

Courtney sighed, shaking her head, a smile finally emerging on her lips. Suddenly, she sneezed. Glaring at Duncan, she said, "You got me sick!"

"Gosh, way to put the blame on me today."

"Can we please go inside?!"

---

"Did you have a good nap, sweetie?" Duncan's Mom smiled as her son slid into the kitchen. He was almost literally sliding, for his feet barely lifted above the ground as he walked.

Duncan plopped into a chair and muttered, "Wha'time is it?"

"It's almost 8:30."

Duncan nodded, running a hand through his hair. "I slept for four hours."

His Mom nodded. "I came upstairs to get you two for dinner, but I couldn't wake you two up. You two were passed out."

Duncan smiled softly. Him and Courtney didn't fool around - there were too many people at his house - but after "playing" in the snow, they headed upstairs. They barely talked to each other after five minutes, and he doesn't remember anything between that point and waking up. Courtney was passed out, too, and he was secretly hoping she fell asleep before he did. "You couldn't or _wouldn't_ wake us up?" he teased, smirking at his Mom.

She rolled her eyes, standing up and walking over to the fridge. "I didn't want to disturb you two. Are you hungry or thirsty?"

"Some juice would be nice."

His Mom poured a glass of orange juice for him and handed it to him. "Is Courtney alright?" she asked, sitting back down at the table.

Duncan thought for a moment as he drank his juice. "What do you mean?"

"She seems a bit..." His Mom paused, thinking of the right word to say. "...down."

Duncan pursed his lips. He knew Courtney had just gotten done with her exams the day prior, and had come a few days before that to get some help studying. "Well, you know all those classes she takes in school... She just got done taking exams for them, so..." He shrugged.

His Mom shrugged as well, but nodded in understanding. "That is true. She's such a hard worker."

Duncan nodded, leaning back in his chair. "Do you mind if she spends the night here again?"

"Not at all. But you know the drill - door open, or one of you sleeps in the guest room."

Her son nodded and stretched as the phone began to ring. She got up and murmured, "Who could be calling this late...?"

He continued to sit at the table, still half-asleep. His mind was blank and empty for a few moments before he heard his Mom say, "Well, she's currently upstairs asleep..."

"Ma," he muttered.

She turned around, raising her eyebrows at him.

"Who's that?" he quietly questioned.

"Courtney's parents," she mouthed.

He raised an eyebrow before shrugging. He then remembered that a few weeks ago, she asked him for his parents numbers. He thought she was asking for it in case she couldn't reach him, but realized it was for both that and in case her parents couldn't reach her while they were together.

"Duncan's right here next to me..." His Mom leaned against the counter, an amused smirk on her face. "I keep a good eye on them while they're together here. They're such good children."

Duncan rolled his eyes, an amused smirk now on his face. If only she, and the rest of his family, knew about the stuff they did while at his house.

"I'll let her know that you called-" His Mom laughed. "She'll probably find out before I tell her, then... It was nice talking to you, too... You, too. Good-bye."

"Why'd they call?" Duncan asked.

"Oh, her Mom was worried because Courtney hadn't returned any of her calls," his Mom informed him.

"She turned off her phone."

"You should probably wake her up and tell her to call her parents."

Duncan shrugged, leaning back in his chair. "It's like you said, she'll find out..."

"Duncan..."

Sighing, he stood up and headed back upstairs. He was about to knock on the door when he heard her muffled voice talking. He slowly opened the door and saw her huddled under the covers, talking into her phone. She had been under those covers since she got inside, claiming she was incredibly cold. He sat down at his desk, giving her a small smile when she tiredly smiled at him.

"No, his Mom doesn't mind..." Courtney muttered into her phone. "Hmm... I'll be home before dinner tomorrow... Okay. I love you, too, Mom. Bye."

"Your Mom called my Mom."

Courtney let out a laugh, shaking her head. "I know. I turned on my phone and listened to both voicemails before she called."

"So, you're staying the night?" he asked, getting out of his chair and walking over to his bed. He sat down, placing his hands behind his head.

She nodded, rolling onto her stomach and looking up at him, smiling. She rested the side of her head on her crossed arms.

"Ma said the funniest thing about us," he said, reaching over and grabbing one of her hands.

"And what was that?" she softly asked.

"She said we were good kids."

She furrowed her eyebrows. "What are you implying?"

"Well, she said she watches us when we're together here, and that we were good kids."

She smiled, rolling her eyes. "It's not like we do anything behind their backs."

"Eh, I wouldn't say that. We just wait 'til they're asleep to do anything." He chuckled when she turned dark red and hid slightly under the covers. Suddenly, a knock was heard, and both teens turned to the door.

"Oh, sweetie, are you cold?" his Mom asked, walking over to her son's bed.

"What are those?" Duncan immediately asked, referring to the books his Mom held.

"Oh, just some old photo albums from when you were little," his Mom said, smiling as she put them on the bed. She turned to Courtney and asked, "Are you alright?"

Courtney nodded, sitting up and removing the covers slightly. "I'm fine, thank you."

"Oh, you're so polite!" his Mom said, smiling, before adding, "These pictures are from when Duncan was tiny... Well, these are from when he was little, and these are a bit more recent..." she said, pointing at the two books.

Courtney smiled, leaning forward and gingerly holding the first photo album.

"Are there really only pictures of me in there?!" Duncan asked, mostly whining, but slightly upset as well.

His Mom laughed. "Sweetie, you know how many pictures your Father and I take. Yes, these are mostly you."

Duncan groaned and Courtney giggled, opening the cover of the book. She beamed as she stared at a picture of Duncan as a child, wickedly grinning at the camera.

His Mom smiled and said, "I'll leave you two alone. Do you two need anything?" She quietly exited the room when the two teens shook their heads.

"Duncan, you are adorable!" Courtney gushed, looking through the photos.

Duncan groaned, burying his head in Courtney's hair. Suddenly, the overwhelming scent of hair-dye hit his nostrils. "Babe, did you do something to your hair?"

"Hmm?" she suddenly asked, turning and looking up at him.

"Your hair. It reeks of hair-dye."

She rolled her eyes. "I got my hair done today."

He took a good look at her hair and noticed that her bangs were a bit thicker, and weren't just a few strands hanging in front of her face. Her hair was more evenly cut around her shoulders. Her hair was also a darker color. Instead of highlights streaked through her hair, her hair was now just one color - dark brown. He grinned and said, "Babe, did you get your hair done?"

She smirked, narrowing her eyes at him. "I'm so glad you noticed, _honey_."

"Why'd you color your hair?"

"I didn't."

"Your hair was a different color a few days ago."

"I went back to my natural hair color."

He looked at her. The darker color actually suited her very well. It brought out her skin tone and eye color quite a bit. "I like it," he told her.

She smiled, her eyes lighting up. "Thanks." She then reached up and ran her hand through his now slightly messy mohawk. "How often do you dye your hair?"

"Oh, whenever. Why?"

"It always looks so well-done."

"Why, thank you. I'll let you in on a little secret, though." When she leaned up close to him, he whispered into her ear, "I've been thinking of cutting it off."

She quietly gasped, her eyes wide. "Seriously?"

He nodded, not phased by her reaction. "I'm dead serious."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "Change."

"Why don't you do it another color?"

He smirked, and caused her to blush when he said, "You like the 'hawk..."

She shrugged. "I'm just used to it, that's all," she quietly said, returning her attention to the photo album. "You're such a Momma's Boy," she murmured, referring to the amount of pictures of him and his Mom.

He shrugged, wrapping his arms around her torso as he peered at the album from over her shoulder. "I love my Ma," he murmured.

She smiled, snuggling the side of her head against his. "I can tell."

"Doesn't mean she isn't strict, though. She's a police officer, and well..." He sighed.

She frowned slightly. "What's wrong?"

"You know I've gone to Juvie..."

"How many times did you go?"

"Twice. Almost three times." He let out a few chuckles and said, "It's funny - there's me, Mister Juvie, and there's you, Miss Almost Perfect, Straight-A, CIT..."

She frowned slightly. It sounded like he was casually talking to himself. But she had to admit - she never would have guessed she would ever fall in love with someone like Duncan, and knew he felt the same exact way. She sighed and let out sigh and said, "You're not ashamed, are you?"

He shook her head, giving her temple a kiss. "Of course not." He let out a chuckle before quietly admitting, "You're one of the best things to happen to me, Courtney."

She smiled, resting her arms on top of his. "Same goes for you, Duncan."

He let out a chuckle as Courtney yawned. "Is this making you tired?"

"Oh, hush. I barely slept this past week."

"What about last night?" he asked, for he knew it was her final day of exams.

"I was at a party until Midnight, and then Mom woke me up early."

"Why did she wake you up early?"

"To ask if I wanted to go to the salon with her."

He nodded. He glanced over at his clock, which read 9:15PM. "You ready for bed or you want to continue to look at pictures?"

She pursed her lips before shutting the book and placing both of them on the floor next to his bed. "Let's go to bed. I won't be as tired looking at them tomorrow."

He laughed before standing up. He quicky took off his shirt and tossed it aside before asking, "Did you bring some clothes?"

"Yep," she said, getting up and grabbing a small bag that was on the floor. She grabbed her pajamas out of there before walking into the bathroom to change.

"Babe, I don't mind you changing in front of me," Duncan said, shutting his bedroom door so he could change.

"As if," she said, opening the door.

"So it's okay for you to barge in here while I change?" he asked, smirking at her.

She rolled her eyes, placing her clothes into the bag. "You were finished."

"And if I wasn't?"

"I don't think you would have cared that much, Duncan."


	9. Quality Time

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

**A/N: I know, I know, it's been forever... blame it on the major block I had... and all the times I worked... and the vacation I went on... haha. I had originally written another chapter, but then decided to write this one... which, the ending turned out a bit differently than I had originally planned. Thank you all for the reviews! I hope you all continue to enjoy this!**

"Oh! I'm sorry - _Duncan_?"

"Well, well, Princess... Will you be serving us today?"

Courtney sighed. She was at the restaurant Fridays, where she was a server at. She was turning around when she bumped into who she thought was a customer, but found out it was not only a customer, it was her boyfriend, Duncan. She glanced at where his friends were sitting at, and nodded. "I am your waitress today," she murmured.

Duncan grinned and said, "Well, babe, I want a water. No, scratch that, I want some pop... like, some Coke. Nah, I would like-"

Courtney put a finger up to his lips. "Why don't you go sit down and I'll get everyone's orders at one time?"

He gave her finger a soft kiss before winking at her and walking over to his table.

She rolled her eyes and grabbed her notepad and pen before walking over to their table. She immediately recognized her boyfriend and his cousin, Brian, but didn't recognize the girl that was with them. "Hello, my name's Courtney, I'll be taking care of you today. How are you-"

"I decided I would like a Coke," Duncan interjected, earning groans from his two companions.

"Dude, Courtney was being so nice and polite and you just had to interrupt her!" Brian said, rolling his eyes. He turned to Courtney and said, "I'd like a water. No lemon. Lots of ice."

"I'll just have a Sprite," their female friend said.

Courtney nodded, writing in at all down. "I'll be right back." She left the table and checked on another table she had before getting the drinks. She wasn't going to lie to herself and say she wasn't upset that some girl was sitting with them. True, she could have been Brian's girlfriend, but they all seemed to friendly around each other to be romantically involved. She sighed as she carried their drinks over to their table. She laid them down and asked, "Do you all know what you want?"

"Sure," Duncan murmured, not even trying to sound convincing. "First, I'd like you to meet someone. Courtney, this is Michelle. Michelle, Courtney."

Courtney smiled at Michelle, who returned the smile. "It's nice to meet you," Courtney said.

"Oh, you, too. Duncan talks about you so much... Well, like, since we've actually started talking about this past week..."

"We really need to work on seeing each other more," Duncan muttered. He looked up at his girlfriend and said, "Not like that, of course."

Courtney rolled her eyes, ruffling his hair lightly. "Sure, sweetheart. Now, are you ready, or-"

"Let's start out with an appetizer," Duncan said. "We'll have that pick-three thing, with... What kind of wings do you two want?"

"They all sound good to me," Michelle muttered.

"Inferno!" Brian exclaimed.

Duncan rolled his eyes and told his girlfriend, "Let's try the inferno. That'll effing burn our mouths..."

"What other two items?" Courtney said, smiling lightly.

"The potato skins and mozzarella sticks. Pronto."

Courtney smacked Duncan's arm. "I'm not making them!"

"Gosh, Courtney, hitting the customers... I hope your boss doesn't see you..."

"I sure hope my boss doesn't see you..." she muttered. "I'll be back in a few minutes with your appetizer."

Duncan smirked as his girlfriend walked off. He turned to his friends, who were smiling. "What are you two almost laughing at?"

"Your relationship is crazy," Brian muttered.

"Whatever. You wish you had a girlfriend, man."

Michelle giggled. "Ouch!"

"Yeah, yeah," Brian muttered, smirking while rolling his eyes. "Didn't you just see her... well, last night and earlier today?"

"I like seeing my girlfriend. I don't see what the problem with that is," Duncan defended.

Brian held up his hands. "No need to get defensive! I'm just saying..."

"Whatever, man."

"Aww, you two don't need to be fighting," Michelle said, running a hand through her long, black hair to get it out of in front of her face.

"This isn't fighting," the two cousins simply said, shrugging.

"If we were fighting..." Duncan paused before chuckling. "Believe us, this isn't fighting."

"How am I supposed to know that?" Michelle asked, rolling her eyes. "We never see each other."

"We're like the three amigos!" Brian chirped in. "Except we never, like... fight and solve crime together, or whatever... We totally need to work on seeing each other more."

"Doubt that will happen," Duncan murmured. He pointed at Brian and said, "You're in Montreal." He looked at Michelle and said, "While we're both in Hamilton, we go to different high schools. Fucking zone change..."

"This summer," Michelle said, persistence and determination in her voice. "We're all... well, Brian and I are definitely going to college in the Fall. No offense, Dunc."

"None taken."

"What does that have to do with-" Brian stopped before muttering, "Oh..." He cleared his throat and said, "Yes, this summer. We're all hanging out." He paused before saying, "But I live in Montreal."

"I think she's implying that you'll be staying at my house," Duncan muttered.

When Michelle nodded, Brian made a clicking noise with his mouth before saying, "Gotcha."

Duncan rolled his eyes, smirking, but in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but think about Courtney. The three of them had essentially been best friends for a long time. Michelle and Brian weren't as close as he was with the two of them, but they still talked regularly and shared information with one another. Courtney and him had known each other for about a year and a half, and were dating the entire time, but really didn't work on keeping their relationship until after Total Drama Action, which was about four months prior. They had talked about spending more time together during the summer, and was essentially torn. He wanted to spend time with both his best friends and the love of his life, but he wasn't sure who to spend more time with. True, it was still December and summer wasn't for another few months, but it was good to plan ahead.

Courtney was having the same dilemma. She was cleaning up a bit when she overheard Duncan, Brian, and Michelle talking. She couldn't help but grow both slightly jealous and sad at their plans. Her and Duncan agreed that they would spend more time together during the summer, but didn't want to hang out and then feel left out if Brian and Michelle came over.

She sighed and shook her head as she grabbed their appetizer. She figured Duncan would assume something was wrong, but didn't want to seem like she overheard them talking. She checked on the guests at her other table, who were about to get up, before walking back to her boyfriend and his friend's table. "Here's your appetizer," she said, laying the main plate down and handing them each a smaller plate.

His friends each said "thank you", and Duncan smiled and and muttered, "Oh, this looks so good... Did you make this?"

She rolled her eyes, smirking. "Just for you, darling." She then rested her knee on the part of the booth next to Duncan and gently started rubbing it as she watched them for a moment.

"What's wrong?" Duncan asked, surprised by the way she was caressing her knee.

"Oh, I bent down earlier and hit my knee against a rough corner," Courtney murmured.

"Did it hurt?" Brian asked.

Despite the crazy looks Michelle and Duncan gave him, Courtney smiled softly and nodded. "It did. It hurt a lot."

Duncan scooted closer to her and wrapped an arm around her waist, and while he kept each other close, he left enough room for him to eat and not get his working girlfriend dirty. The conversation that Duncan and his friends had was still playing in each others minds, though neither of them knew the other was thinking about it. Although both loved being in a relationship with the other, all of it was such new territory to them. Neither had been in love like that before, nor had they loved wanting to spend time with another person like they do. Both longed to see one another; their Winter Break had been filled with more moments of them actually seeing each other than ever before, and neither were ready to go back to the days of hardly seeing each other.

Neither noticed how quiet the other was being, nor did they notice the strange looks Michelle and Brian were giving them.

"Um... Are you two okay?" Michelle softly asked.

Courtney and Duncan immediately snapped out of their thoughts and slowly gazed at each other. Duncan grinned at Courtney and said, "Yeah, we're just having our own telepathic conversation."

Courtney rolled her eyes, smirking. "Of course. Are you all ready to order, or do you need a few minutes to look at the menu?"

"I'll just have the shrimp meal," Michelle said.

"I will have the Cajun chicken and shrimp pasta," Brian said.

"Cheeseburger. Medium well. Fries," Duncan said.

Courtney nodded as she jotted down everyone's orders. She smiled at them and said, "I'll go ring those up and be back out in a few minutes."

"Dude, what's up with you two?" Brian asked.

Duncan frowned, furrowing his eyebrows together. "What are you talking about?"

"I don't know..." Brian murmured before saying, "You two are always so... talkative. All over each other. Smiling and happy. Y'know?"

"We've just got a lot on our minds, I guess," Duncan muttered, shrugging.

"Are you two on the rocks?" Michelle softly asked.

Duncan shook his head, a small smile appearing on his face. "Nah, we're fine..." He let out a sigh and shrugged. "I've got a bit on my mind. Maybe she does, too."

Brian instantly grinned. "Aww. Are you going to propose to her?"

Duncan started coughing, as his drink went down the wrong way when he drank it. "_No!_" he spluttered out between coughs.

"I go away for one minute and you start choking," Courtney murmured, patting her boyfriend's back as she sat down next to him.

He rolled his eyes, noticing her small smirk. "Thanks for caring," he said, patting her thigh.

"Oh, my pleasure."

"Ooh, I just love your sarcastic side."

"Oh, God, I take back what I said earlier," Brian murmured. "Get a room."

Courtney rolled her eyes, but an amused smile now laid on her face. "Are you all eating lunch or dinner?" she asked.

Nobody in the trio responded, for they were all trying to figure out what exactly they were eating. "Both," Brian finally said, his response said slowly.

Courtney raised an eyebrow. "Both?"

"We kinda ate earlier," Brian explained.

"More like brunch," Duncan informed his girlfriend. "And it was a small one, too."

"Leftovers from breakfast at my house," Michelle said.

Courtney nodded, giving Duncan's hand a squeeze as his fingers intertwined with hers. "So what are you all doing here in Toronto?"

"Nonna," Duncan murmured.

Courtney raised an eyebrow. "Is she alright?"

Duncan nodded. "Just another family dinner... that I didn't know about until today..." Although it looked like she had a good poker face, or at least one that didn't display any type of weakness, he could see right past it. He could see in her eyes that she, at first, was upset. Of course, that sadness disappeared once he made his final remark, but he made sure to give her hand another squeeze.

"Aah, Nonna's cooking..." Brian murmured, a big smile forming on his face. "I love that woman's cooking!"

"Only an idiot would hate it," Duncan said. He looked at Courtney and asked, "Do you want to come over tonight?"

Courtney shrugged. "I'll have to check with my parents first, but I should be able to come over."

"There's a difference between wanting and being able to," Duncan explained.

Courtney rolled her eyes. "I would love to come over. Let me check with my parents first to see if we're doing anything tonight."

Duncan smiled and quietly said, "My Nonna would just love to see you again."

His girlfriend smiled, a faint pink spreading over her cheeks. "It would be nice to see her again, too," she softly said.

"No offense, but do you have any other tables?" Brian asked.

Even though Duncan shot his cousin a dirty look, Courtney shook her head and said, "Nope. You all are my last table..."

Duncan shot his girlfriend a dirty smirk. "Oh, babe, we'll be here for a while..."

"You know you'll get to your Nonna's early," Courtney teased.

Duncan shrugged, leaning back in his chair. "Or I'll get summoned there by my Ma. You know I really can't say no to her."

* * *

"Courtney!"

Courtney jumped, startled. She had just gotten off of work and was walking outside to her car when she heard her boyfriend calling out to her. Even though he had asked her when she'd be getting off of work, she hadn't expected him to literally be there when she stepped outside.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, walking over to him.

"Waiting for you, duh."

"You've been here for the past forty-five minutes?"

"What would you say if I responded with a '_yes_'?"

"It's _freezing_ out here!"

He chuckled. "No, I haven't been out here the whole time. The three of us went by a few shops for a while before heading back. I just got here maybe two minutes ago. Brian and Michelle are getting the car now."

She nodded, sitting down next to her boyfriend. "So what time do we have to be by your Nonna's?"

"Oh, whenever. You still coming over?"

"Yes, but I don't have anything to wear."

He smirked. "Aah, I guessed right." He reached down, much to her curiosity, and grabbed a bag that was laying on the ground next to him. He placed the bag in her lap and said, "I got you these."

She gaped at the bag before looking at him. "You bought me clothes?"

"Sure did."

"Or is this lingerie?"

"As much as I'd love to see you walking around in just your..._undergarments_, I don't know how everyone else would react to that."

"I'm glad you're so considerate."

"Eh, I try."

She looked inside the bag and pulled out the clothes her boyfriend had bought for her. She smiled when she saw her had bought her a simple shirt, and a simple pair of shoes. The shirt was white, the shoulders were cut-off and bare, and the sleeves were three-quarters length. The shoes were just regular, white, ballet-style flat shoes. She was a bit surprised that everything was the correct size, but then again, Duncan never ceased to surprise her. She smiled at Duncan and said, "Thank you. But, how did you know my size?"

"Closet raiding."

"_WHAT?_"

He chuckled. "Hah, just kidding, babe. I saw the size of your work shirt when we were there earlier, and then, though it took a while, finally saw the size of your shoes. I didn't really pick out the clothes, though. That was all Michelle. I tried picking out something for you, but..." He shrugged, a simple, small smile on his face. "Michelle thought it was too show-y for a gathering like this."

Courtney rolled her eyes, despite the smile on her face. She then leaned up and gave Duncan a short, quick kiss. "Thanks, sweetie," she softly said.

He shrugged, leaning forward and returning the short kiss. "You're welcome. You want me to ride with you?"

"Sure."

"Alrighty, let's go."

"Wait, Duncan, I need to change."

"You can do it in your car."

She sighed and stood up, leading her boyfriend to her car. She wasn't entirely embarrassed to change in front of him - no, she had done that before - but she was afraid of other people peeping into her car.

It was as if he was reading her mind when he said, "Don't worry, babe. Anyone that tries to sneak a look at you is going to have to go through me first."

"And if they succeed?" she teased, looking back at him.

He shrugged. "I don't know, darling. Though, I'm sure you'd kick their ass if they tried to look at you as well."

"Or maybe I'd scream."

"Hey, screams can be deadly."

She rolled her eyes as they got into her car. As soon as they were both in, she took a glance around before taking her shirt off. She lazily folded it and threw it into her backseat.

Duncan whistled and said, "Mm, babe. You just keep getting better looking every time I see you..."

"Yeah, yeah, as much as I'd love to do stuff with you right now, we're in a car in a very public place," Courtney muttered. She took off the straps of her bra, creating a strapless bra, and threw the straps into the backseat.

Duncan was almost shocked by her words, but was more shocked at how her bra seemingly transformed. "What did you just do?"

"I'm not wearing bra straps with this shirt," she muttered, tossing on her brand-new shirt, which fit her perfectly. She then took of her work shoes and socks and placed them on the floor of the backseat before putting on her new shoes, which also fit well. She then pulled down her visor and looked into the mirror, frowning slightly at her appearance. She grabbed her purse, got her brush out of it, and pulled her hair out of her ponytail before beginning to brush her hair.

"You look fine," Duncan stated, watching her frown at her appearance.

"My hair looks awful, and I'm only wearing mascara," Courtney muttered, sighing as she pushed up the visor.

"Nah, I like this natural look," Duncan said, shrugging.

She looked over at her boyfriend and smiled. "Thank you. Now, where are we going?"

"Nonna's. Remember how to get there?"

"Kind of..."

"Well, just start driving until you get lost, I suppose."

* * *

"I don't think your parents will like me spending the night here... Well, I mean, sure I did it last night, but they weren't here..."

"I honestly don't care, Duncan."

"What's with the sudden change?"

They were in her bedroom at her house. While Duncan was originally going to get a ride back to Hamilton from Michelle and Brian, Courtney had invited him over, and he didn't object too much. He was only worried about what her parents would think. Like he said, he spent the night before while they weren't home, but he had never spent the night while they were actually there. He was almost certain they would kick him out... and he didn't even have his car with him.

Courtney shrugged, turning onto her back and looking up at her boyfriend. "It's about time you spend the night over here while they were here."

Duncan nodded. "Good point."

"You love me, right?" she suddenly asked.

He slowly nodded, looking down at her. "Yeah... Why?"

"My parents don't think we love each other... or, well, they don't think you love me."

He snorted. "What would they know?"

"They heard me telling you that I love you, and both discussed how we're just in our little 'puppy love' stage and that we don't understand what real love is..."

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever. They don't know anything."

"Have you parents ever said anything?"

"Besides telling me to never break your heart? Nah."

Hearing that always made Courtney feel incredibly loved, and very uncomfortable. "Sounds like we shouldn't be breaking up then."

"I know, right."

Courtney suddenly reached up and tightly wrapped her arms around Duncan's neck. He wrapped his arms around her tiny waist, bringing her as close to him as possible. He knew she just needed a hug and wasn't going to say anything. He didn't know what to say, quite frankly. It was as if her parents had one thing set it mind, and that was for her to be this straight-A student, get into a prestigious school, and become a lawyer. He figured that they thought anything else outside of that goal would just get into her way, and would set her back, from her "dream", her "goal in life".

Was becoming a lawyer her dream? Sure, she seemed really set-forward on becoming one. It seemed to really interest her. He smirked when he realized she was good at arguing with people. She never said she wanted to do anything else, so he figured she didn't have any problem with becoming a lawyer. Maybe it was her idea, and because becoming one can lead to big bucks and popularity, maybe that's why they're so "happy" for her to become one.

It was almost funny at times to realize how different they were. Even their families were just so different. Their opposites brought them together, but their similariites brought them even closer. He knew he loved her, and he knew what he felt for her was love, because the overall feeling scared him, yet he did love that feeling. Their parents, though... His were so welcoming of their relationship. They even told him they were proud of him for finding a girl like her to just settle him down. Sort of. He was still that smart-alleck boy who, for the most part, went by his own set of rules.

And then there were her parents.

Were they accepting of their relationship? He knew they didn't like him, so probably not. It only made him mad that they weren't completely happy for their daughter.

"Are you doing anything on New Years?"

He snapped out of his trance and looked down at his girlfriend, who was staring up at him inquisitively. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "That's what you've been thinking about this whole time?"

She smiled, shaking her head. "No. I was thinking about some other things before going over what I was doing in the next couple of weeks..."

"Well, I'm doing some family stuff on New Years, but I'm free New Years Eve if you want to do something then..."

"That would be nice."


	10. Tiny Scares

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews! I hope you enjoy this!**

There are some moments in life where a few minutes seem like hours.

Courtney was going through one of those moments.

She was sitting in her car, which was parked in the parking lot at Duncan's school. She was idly tapping her fingers against the wheel as she looked around, hoping her boyfriend would suddenly show up. She anxiously ran her hands over her face and through her hair, keeping her hands resting on her head for a moment. She shut her eyes and let out a few deep breaths. While she was able to control her panic better, she could feel is slowly rising within her.

A knocking on her window jolted her out of her thoughts. She couldn't help but smile at him as she unlocked her car. He was grinning at her, and she couldn't help but find him cute (and hot) in his sunglasses and school gym attire, which included long shorts and his school hoodie. He hurriedly got into her car and muttered, "These shorts don't keep me warm in this weather..."

"Well, '_hello_' to you, too," she said, smirking.

He rolled his eyes. "Hey, babe. How was your day off?" he asked, referring to how she didn't have to go to school that day.

She shrugged, the sinking feeling returning. "It was alright." She tried to make herself sound casual, but it came out quiet, like a mutter.

He pursed his lips as he took off his sunglasses and looked at her. His eyes were filled with worry as he softly asked, "What's wrong?"

She instantly looked down, shutting her eyes. She tried planning in her head what she was going to tell him, but she never thought of what exactly to say. It wasn't something she could proudly say - they were only seventeen, and what she was going to tell him could impact them forever. True, she wasn't even sure about what she was going to say. She sighed before looking up at him and saying, "Please don't get mad at me for what I'm about to tell you."

He slowly nodded and quietly said, "Go on..."

"I think I'm pregnant."

The seconds in which Duncan didn't say anything felt like a moment where time stood still. He stared at her for a few moments before slowly turning in his seat. She was terrified he was going to get out of the car, but was relieved when he only leaned back in his seat. He still didn't say anything, which drove her absolutely insane.

"Please," she quietly begged. "_Please_, just say something."

"I'm sorry," he suddenly said, looking over at her.

She shrugged, letting out a sigh, and said to him, "That's what happens when you have unprotected sex."

"I thought you were on the pill?"

"I am, but it's not one-hundred percent effective."

He nodded, biting his lip. "Are you absolutely sure you're pregnant?"

She shook her head. "I took the test last night. Those don't guarantee a pregnancy."

"Why do you think you're pregnant?"

"I've missed my period, and I've been feeling strangely sick these days."

"_Fuck_," Duncan sighed, covering his face with his hands and letting out a groan. He let out another loud sigh and said, "Crap, Courtney..."

"Are you mad?" she quietly asked.

He took his hands off his face and blinked a few times before saying, "Not at you."

"It's not completely your fault..."

"Well, if you're pregnant, it is."

She shook her head. "You didn't rape me, Duncan. Our sex is, and always has been, consensual. It's both of our faults if I'm pregnant."

"This baby could ruin your life," Duncan softly said. "I-I mean, sure, we'd love it and all, but... Ma's always warning me, '_Don't you dare get Courtney pregnant! You two have too much to live for! A baby takes up too much of your time, and you won't be able to go to college!_'"

Courtney paled at the advice his Mom gave him. Her parents gave her a bit of a small talk like that many years ago. They probably expected her to engage in safe sex. They didn't know she was sexually active, and she would hate to even admit she thought she was pregnant to them.

"Have you seen a doctor yet?" Duncan suddenly asked.

Courtney shook her head. "Not yet."

"Do you want me to come with you?" he softly asked.

She nodded, tears brimming the edges of her eyes. "If you don't mind," she squeaked out. She began to cry as Duncan wrapped his arms around her. She buried her head into the crook of his neck. Her body shook from her sobbing. "We can't take care of a baby..." she softly cried, tightly wrapping her arms around his torso.

He kissed the top of her head while softly rubbing her back. "Let's just head over to the doctor and see if you're actually pregnant or not," he murmured.

She nodded and pulled away from him. She let out a shaky shudder as she started her car back up.

"Do you need me to drive?" he asked.

She shook her head as she began to drive out away from his school. "Which hospital are we going to?"

"Oh, we're not going to the hospital."

She sighed as she stopped at a red light. "Well, where are we going, then?"

"To one of those teen centers."

"Where is that?"

"Oh, keep going down this road for a few miles, then you'll take a left..."

Courtney's mind barely focused on the directions that Duncan was giving her. She could only focus on the fact that she may be pregnant. She barely slept the night before, for she was plagued with thoughts of her life being ruined by having a child at such a young age. True, she was only a few months shy of being eighteen, but she hadn't even graduated from high school yet. She hadn't heard back from any colleges, either, but knew she'd be hearing back from them soon. She was desperately hoping she was just overly-stressed. She'd rather be over-stressed and have another panic attack than currently be pregnant.

With the exception of Duncan giving her directions, neither spoke to each other. Both were too absorbed in their own thoughts of her being pregnant. Both were terrified, extremely scared.

When they pulled into the parking lot, both glad to see that there were only a few cars there. Courtney shut off her car and sat there for a few moments. She sniffed, softly wiping her eyes.

"Hey," Duncan softly said, reaching over and grabbing her hand. "We'll get through this together, okay? Whatever happens, happens."

Courtney nodded, softly smiling at him. "Thank you."

After filling out a questionnaire, going through a blood and urine sample, and waiting for at least thirty minutes, the Doctor finally walked into the room. By that point, Courtney and Duncan couldn't handle the anticipation. Both were extremely anxious and nervous about the results.

Smiling, the Doctor told them, "Courtney, you're not pregnant."

Courtney couldn't hold back the smile that instantly lit up her face. She barely listened to the doctor telling them about safe sex and using protection and such. Her and Duncan weren't about to have a baby! She figured, she wouldn't have to tell her parents that she even thought she was pregnant. What they didn't know wouldn't hurt them, right?

"I want to go ahead and prescribe you some Benzodiazipines, to help with stress and panic..." the Doctor said.

"Oh, I can't take those," Courtney suddenly said. "I, uhh... I had a few problems with those about one year ago..."

The Doctor slowly nodded, tapping her pen against her clipboard for a few seconds before saying, "Well, I'm afraid of prescribing you anything else if you've had problems with those... Do you have a counselor you can talk to?" When Courtney nodded, the Doctor said, "Well, that's the only 'medicine' I can offer you, I suppose. Please just talk to your counselor if you ever feel incredibly stressed or panicked. Or, talk to anyone, if you can."

Courtney nodded. "I will. Thank you."

* * *

"So, you had problems with that... that one medication?" Duncan softly asked, turning his chair around and propping his legs on his bed.

Courtney nodded, re-adjusting herself against his pillows and crossing her legs. "Benzodiazipines. They're a strong medicine. I guess you can say I abused them."

He raised his eyebrows, shocked. "Really?"

She nodded. "Instead of taking them only when I got stressed, I took them everyday. They made me feel better. That happened for... It went on for three months before I decided to stop." She let out a soft laugh before admitting, "Going from a few pills per day to nothing just about killed me. The withdrawal was a little too intense, so I ended up going back on them just to slowly get off of them. That took another few weeks."

Duncan was still shocked by the end of her confession. He never knew of this. True, they weren't really talking a year prior, and there was no need to ask her about this before. He then remembered when he visited her at the hospital after a panic attack and asked, "Didn't you get a prescription a few months ago after that one panic attack?"

She nodded. "I did. I never took any of it, though."

"So your parents don't know?"

She shook her head. "Of course they don't. I could never tell them that I was addicted to pills. Goodness knows where, or who, they would send me to."

"What do you mean, 'Who'?"

"They very well could send me to another relative's house," she admitted. "Or they could send me to another counselor..."

"Another? I thought you said you had a counselor just to get that rude doctor out of the room..."

"I...I saw one my sophomore year, a bit after I broke up with my ex."

"Were you that upset after he cheated on you?"

She remained silent, staring at his wall in thought for a few moments. She shrugged before saying, "Kind of. Like I told you, I thought I really loved him. I really went through my 'puppy love' stage then. When he had sex with that one girl because I wouldn't have sex with him..." She let out a sigh, shutting her eyes and shaking her head. She looked up at Duncan and gave him a slightly amused, yet still slightly sad, smile as she told him, "He tried apologizing after Total Drama Island."

"Really?"

"He told me something along the lines of how much a whore this girl was, and how he really messed up... Of course he realized this after my first stint on that show..."

"What'd you tell him?"

"Oh, I told him I moved on."

He smirked, his smirk wide and wild. "Oh, really?"

She nodded, returning the smirk. "Yes, really."

"You told him you were with me?"

"I didn't need to. He figured it out. I can still remember his exact words..." She laughed before reciting, "'_You're going out with that punk from the show? I can't believe you, Courtney! I'm so much better than him!_'"

Duncan laughed the entire time she was reciting her ex-boyfriend's words. He was laughing so much, Courtney couldn't help but laugh with him. "Better than him my ass!" Duncan exclaimed, still laughing.

Courtney giggled. "Whatever, Duncan. We're on better terms, I guess."

"Wait, who? You and your ex?" When she nodded, he raised an eyebrow and asked, "You still talk to him?"

"Oh, rarely. I saw him a few weeks ago at the store and we talked for a few minutes. He's moved on, and, well... He knew I had moved on a long time before that."

"Is his new girlfriend a whore?"

"Oh, I don't know. We didn't really talk about you or his girlfriend much."

"And why not?"

"Because we were catching up. He knew we were still dating, and he told me had a new girlifriend. He told me where he's going to university, asked me where I've applied to... and, well, that's about it, really."

"Where does he go to school?"

"University of Toronto."

"Isn't that where you're thinking of going?"

"Yes," she sighed. "Duncan, I didn't run back into his arms after seeing him. Even if I go there, I doubt we'd have any classes together."

"But what if you do?" he quickly asked.

"I'd probably sit far away from him and pretend like I don't see him," she slowly said. Frowning, she softly asked, "Do you trust me?"

He sighed, nodding. "I do, it's just..." He shrugged. "What if he tries to woo you again?"

Courtney snorted, taking Duncan by surprise. "Remember what we told each other when we met up before Action?" When he shook his head, she told him, "Many people tried going out with us, but we turned every one of them down. Doesn't that tell you anything?"

"That we cared about each other?" Duncan asked, giving her a coy shrug.

She nodded, rolling her eyes. "Yes, and we still do, last time I checked."

"I guess." He chuckled when she tossed a pillow in his direction. He caught it, not wanting anything in his room to break. "Oh, you know I love you."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You're doing a great job at showing me."

"What, you want me to lather you in kisses? Whisper in your ear all the reasons of why I love you? Want me to sensually make love to you? I guess I can do any of that."

"You're a little too rough in bed," she softly said, a bright pink covering her cheeks.

He winked at her and gave her a smirk before telling her, "You know you like it rough."

She groaned, causing Duncan to begin laughing once more. Suddenly, she yawned and asked, "What time is it?"

He swiveled around in his chair and replied, "Almost ten. Tired?"

"I barely slept last night - Yes, I'm tired."

"Well, let's go to bed then," he said, turning off his desk light before hopping out of his chair before going to bed bed and plopping down on it, causing Courtney to giggle lightly.

"I can't believe you go to bed this early," she muttered, turning off his light. She instantly smiled when he wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her closer to him.

"What, is ten too early for you?"

"I'm usually still doing homework by this point, you know that."

He kissed the back of her head and sighed. "I do."

Courtney instantly felt a tinge of guilt within her. She knew her overworking herself drove him insane. She also knew that, despite anything he may say, he would support her one-hundred percent. "I love you," she softly said.

"I love you, too. Now, get some sleep. We've got a busy day tomorrow."

"Oh, really?"

"I'm going to make love to you all day long."

"_What_?" she instantly cried. She tried turning around to look at him, but he kept a firm grip on her waist.

"Yep. I didn't say I'd fuck you senseless, but if you'd rather have that..."

"I...what?"

He chuckled. "Goodnight, babe."


	11. Six Weeks

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

**A/N: Having a day off really pays off! I felt like writing more for this story, and bam... I got a new chapter finished! I definitely need to work on the other stories, haha. Thank you all so much for the reviews! They really do mean a lot! Please, keep it up! Also... some of the facts in this chapter may not be correct. If it is, yay! If not... well, I warned you. Haha. And, there is a flashback in this chapter (a short one, mind you), and that's in italics. Enjoy!**

Six weeks is a long time.

Normally, Courtney wouldn't even think about a time period of six weeks. She was often too busy either doing school-related things (homework, planning events, meeting for all of her clubs), working, or hanging out with her friends. The term "boyfriend" would have been included in that list, but she hadn't seen hers for the past six weeks.

Why hasn't the love of her life talked to her? She wasn't even sure why. The last time she saw him was when she thought she was pregnant. The thought of her even thinking she was pregnant always made her uncomfortable, in more ways than imaginable.

Was the thought of her being pregnant too much for him to handle?

Was _she_ just too much to handle?

They had gone longer without talking, but that was before they fell in love with each other and became intimate. They had spent so much time together in the past six months... For them to not spend time with one another after that time together nearly killed her. Well, for the first two weeks, it didn't bother her. The second semester of her Senior year had really began, and she was pre-occupied with that. But, the third week was when she really began to notice his lack of communication. She tried texting and calling him a couple of times, but he never responded.

She suddenly grew depressed during the fourth week. It was upsetting to think about how her boyfriend was suddenly ignoring her. They talked every single day, even it was just a text or two. They shared everything with each other, and both were usually pretty honest when there was something wrong with either of them.

Her friends knew something was up, and they knew it was about Duncan. She had told them, "I'm worried about Duncan. I haven't spoken to him in a while." They didn't bring him up afterward. She knew they were worried he secretly broke up with her. She also knew they wouldn't talk to her about their concerns because of how much she loved him.

The week afterward, she decided to see how he was doing by checking his Facebook. He was usually on that site a couple of times per day, so she was hoping to find out how he was doing then. He hadn't updated since a few days after they last hung out.

She started freaking out after looking at his Facebook. She immediately thought he had died, so she had locked herself in her room for a few hours, drowning her sobs by blasting loud music. She finally came to her senses and realized he hadn't died. There was nothing relating to his death on Facebook, and she figured his parents would call her if that had happened.

Currently, she was on a school trip at the Art Gallery of Toronto. She had taken an Art History class as an elective, and was surprised to find out that she actually liked that class. Normally, she would have been fully paying attention to her surroundings and would have taken everything in, but her attention was slipping elsewhere, as it has been for the past few weeks. Sometimes, she'd surprise herself and just zone out, thinking about nothing at all. It was as if her brain was just shutting down, and she wasn't sure if she was entirely scared by that or not.

"Court, isn't that your boyfriend?" her friend, Amber, asked.

Courtney softly sighed, realizing she had zoned out once again. It took her a second to take in Amber's words, and once she registered that her boyfriend was possibly near, she looked up. "Where?" she suddenly asked.

"Over... there." Amber pointed to their left.

Courtney followed the direction of her finger and suddenly her eyes widened. Duncan really was standing over there! He was standing against the wall with his arms crossed. Courtney frowned at his appearance; though he looked bored, she could sense a bit of tension coming from him. His signature goatee was shaved... Well, his goatee was gone, but there was some facial hair covering his face. His mohawk was gone, and his hair was becoming a bit shaggy as it grew out. She was definitely shocked, by both is appearance, and just by seeing him.

"He looks so different," Amber muttered.

Courtney slowly nodded as she turned back towards the speaker. "Yeah," she murmured.

"You okay?" Amber softly asked, looking at her friend.

Courtney nodded. She let out a sigh before saying, "Do you think he's seen me here today?"

"Why don't you text him?" Amber asked.

"I... I don't know if that's a good idea..." Courtney muttered.

"Why? All of our teacher's are in the front of the room. Plus, everyone else is texting."

Courtney thought about it for a moment. Should she risk getting in trouble just by texting someone who hasn't spoken to her in weeks? She sighed and got out her phone and quickly texted a short message.

_Hey :)_

"Short, but simple." Amber nodded. "Send it. I'll see if he responds."

"Don't stare too much," Courtney muttered.

"What? You don't want him to look over?" When Courtney shrugged, Amber said, "Sure, you haven't seen him in weeks... Are you scared?"

"Just watch him," Courtney grudgingly whispered, not wanting to admit that she was really scared of talking to him.

"_That asshole_!" Amber suddenly said, earning a few glances and snickers from the surrounding kids.

Courtney immediately blushed and shushed her friend before asking, "What?"

"He looked at his phone, and then put it back in his pocket!" Amber whispered.

Courtney didn't say anything. He really was ignoring her. Her heart sunk at the realization, and tears stung her eyes. She had to take a few deep breaths so she wouldn't completely freak out and run out of there.

Suddenly, her phone began to vibrate. Her eyes widened - Duncan texted her back? "I thought you said he put his phone back in his pocket..." Courtney murmured, afraid to open the message.

"I thought he didn't reply back..." Amber muttered. "It didn't look like he was texting anything..."

Courtney continued to stare at the screen that read "**NEW TEXT MESSAGE - DUNCAN**". Her heart was beating at an incredible rate. She finally gathered up the courage to open the message, which read:

_heyyy :)_

"That asshole," Amber muttered once more, rolling her eyes.

"What'd you expect him to say?" Courtney asked, exiting out of the message. True, she was disappointed he hadn't said more, but like she asked her friend, what could he really have said?

"I think you should talk to him," Amber said. "Right now."

"Why right now?" Courtney asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Um, well... He's kinda looking this way..." Amber muttered before saying in an even quieter voice, "And he's walking this way..."

"_WHAT_?" Courtney exclaimed. She immediately cursed herself for being too loud, and was correct when she figured he could hear her. She could hear him chuckling behind her. She was honestly too scared to turn around, for she was extremely nervous to even be around him.

"Courtney?"

She stood there for a few seconds. She could tell he was being smug, but at the same time, he sounded nervous, like he did not expect to see her. She slowly turned around, keeping her eyes up and focused on his face the entire time.

* * *

To say Duncan was nervous was an understatement.

He was _scared_.

He knew he was in deep trouble for not talking to his girlfriend in well over a month. He read every single text and listened to every single voicemail she sent him.

He even felt her hand slap his cheek, and that sure did sting.

"What are you doing here?" Courtney hissed, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Uhh... I'm here on a field trip with my school..." Duncan wasn't expecting her to ask that. He was honestly expecting her to throw out a bunch of cuss words at him, or start screaming about how awful of a guy he was.

Her face was easy for him to read - he knew she was trying to figure out what to say to him. "You shouldn't be here."

He furrowed his eyebrows, confused. He pursed his lips before asking, "And where should I at?"

"I don't know, you tell me. Where have you been for the past six weeks?"

"Mostly at home or school."

"So you didn't die? You weren't kidnapped? _You've been in Hamilton the whole time_?" She was angry. She was beyond pissed. Her face, her voice... her whole stature said it all.

He let out a long sigh, looking down. "Let's go outside and talk, okay? I went on this exact same trip last year; I'll tell you anything you need to know, in case you have to fill out a worksheet or whatever. This may take a while."

She stared at him for a few moments before nodding. "Do you want something to eat or drink?"

He shook his head. "I'll meet you in the courtyard?"

She suddenly shook her head. "No, I've got some water. I should be fine."

He shrugged and walked alongside her as they stepped through the lobby and out into the courtyard. While there were many students out there, he was able to find a bench that was far away from people. As they sat down, he couldn't help but think about how he wanted to reach over and grab her hand. He wanted to hug her, or hold her in some way.

"So... You have something to say?"

"I'm sorry."

She let out a curt laugh as she crossed her arms. He turned his head and saw an amused, yet pissed, smirk on her face as she stared ahead. "I know that's not all you have to say."

"I... I haven't been able to leave Hamilton for the past... uhhh... five weeks..."

"I haven't talked to you in about five and a half weeks. I haven't seen you in six. Duncan, for the smallest amount of time, I thought you were dead. Do you _not_ understand that?"

He let out a sigh. "I just got my phone back a few days ago."

"Oh, so you couldn't call me from your house phone?"

"I spent my birthday, my eighteenth birthday, in a judge's office."

"_Awesome_." The sarcasm was dripping from her voice. "You're not telling me anything, Duncan."

"I got arrested five and a half weeks ago."

She certainly wasn't expecting to hear that. "_What_?" she softly asked, the shock evident in her voice.

"Yeah." He let out a half-chuckle. "I'm going to jail during Spring Break."

She gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. Her eyes widened as she turned to him. "Why?" she softly asked.

"I was in my friend's car when we got pulled over. One of his taillights was out. But, my friend got a little bit high before we left, and the officer noticed it. Made him and I both take a test."

"_You were on drugs_?" she exclaimed.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "I was about to get out of the car when my friend decided to start yelling at the police officer. The police officer then basically dragged him out of the car. I started yelling at the police officer. He got tired of our shit, so he arrested us for drug possession and being hostile towards a police officer. I'll admit, I shouldn't have yelled at the police officer, so I'm guilty of that. But, there's really no way to prove that I didn't do any drugs. Most people would look at my record, or hear about it, and just assume I did them, anyway..."

"That doesn't explain why you never called me," Courtney slowly said.

Duncan sighed. "Ma was working at the front desk when I arrived at the station. She was pissed when she saw me there. She immediately pulled me into one of the holding rooms and started yelling at me..."

_"Oh shit..." Duncan immediately tensed up. "Dude, isn't there another entrance?" he asked the officer._

_The officer laughed. "Scared to see your Momma, aren't you?" Before he could give Duncan the chance to say anything, the officer exclaimed, "Suzie! Lookie what we got here!"_

_The smile on his Ma's face fell quicker than his friend did when the officer pinned him to the ground. The look in her eyes changed from confused to angry. "Duncan Evans."_

_"Oh boy..." Duncan muttered as he stepped in front of the desk. He sheepishly smiled at her. "It wasn't my fault?"_

_"You are in BIG TROUBLE!"_

_"Shit, Ma, wait, I'm serious - it wasn't my fault!"_

_"You are coming with me, Mister!" She suddenly grabbed him by the ear and dragged him away from the front of the building._

_"DANG IT, MA! That really hurts!"_

_"And you coming back here doesn't?" his Mom snapped. "I thought this part of your life was over with, Duncan..."_

_"Aren't you going to hear my side of the story?" Duncan exclaimed once they got into the holding room._

_His Mom sighed, standing at the end of the table. One hand was on her hip, the other resting on the edge of the table. "You better start talking."_

"Does she believe you now?" Courtney softly asked.

"Yeah. Her and Dad finally believe me. It took a few hours of persuasion, though," Duncan admitted.

"How'd you convince them?" she asked.

Duncan made a soft humming noise. "They believed me when I said my days of vandalizing and such were almost over. You know I'm still a rebellious teen..." His chuckling died down when he noticed she wasn't laughing or smiling. "Um... yeah, and I said how I would never do any of that stuff while dating you..."

"_Oh, really_?" Her anger was once again heard.

"Yes, really. And I meant it." His voice was firm and determined. "I'm not dumb enough to really do that shit, Court. Yes, I experimented with it when I was, like, thirteen, but I never became fully addicted to it. There was never that need within me to keep getting high."

"You still haven't answered my question," Courtney slowly said. "You never texted me. You never called me. You never e-mailed me, or even sent me a message or whatever on Facebook. _Why_?"

"I got my phone and computer taken away. I only got my phone back a few days ago."

"You couldn't call me from your parents phone?"

"Let me re-phrase myself: I got all of my phone privileges back a few days ago."

"You still couldn't call me?"

"I wanted to. Believe me, I wanted to run downstairs during the middle of the night, run into the back of my closet, and call you. But... I couldn't. I had no idea what to say to you."

"And suddenly you do?"

"Well... I didn't know what to say to you at first. Then, after spending so much time by myself, lost in my own thoughts, I kind of knew what to say to you. But... Honestly, babe, I was scared to call you. I wasn't sure how our relationship was."

"And now you're sure?"

Duncan was surprised to find Courtney giving him a soft smile. It was a reluctant smile, but one nonetheless, and he instantly gave her a small smile. "Well, you haven't completely torn my head off..."

She rolled her eyes. She turned and ran her hand across his face, her eyes studying his facial features. "You haven't shaved in a few days."

"Nah. You like what you see?"

"Not really."

He laughed, the sparkle returning to his face and eyes. She instantly lit up, smiling alongside him. He told her, "Well, I guess you hate the hair, huh?"

"I don't hate it. It looks alright. It's a bit unkempt."

"Yeah... It was all my parents fault. They said to me, '_We told you this last time - you come back here again, the mohawk is gone_'. They weren't kidding."

Courtney reached up and ran her hand through Duncan's hair. It was about an inch in length, and it was his natural hair color, black. "You should grow out your hair," she finally said.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, something like Justin's..."

Duncan chuckled, shaking his head. "I don't think I could pull off his hair."

"Oh, you could put some gel in your hair and spike it up a bit... I think it would look hot."

"Hmm, if you think it'll look hot... Well, I just may have to grow out my hair..."

She giggled. She suddenly leaned up and captured Duncan's lips in hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck, placing one knee on the bench and straightening her other leg so she's be more on-level with Duncan.

He let out a moan as he suddenly grabbed her legs and placed them on either side of him. He rested his hands on her waist. He kissed her back with an incredible amount of passion.

Their kisses were filled with an extreme amount of passion and lust. They had a strong emotional relationship, but at the same time, they had quite the physical relationship. While they knew a lot of each others "hot spots", they were constantly finding new spots on each others bodies that drove each other insane.

"We... we gotta stop..." Courtney breathed, pulling herself away from Duncan as his hands started roaming her thighs.

"Why?" Duncan murmured, also sounding breathless.

"We're in public, and our teachers may walk out at any moment," Courtney muttered, running her hands across his shoulders subconsciously.

Duncan grabbed her hands and held them. They intertwined their fingers and looked at each other, gazing into each others eyes. "You should come to Hamilton sometime," he blurted out. "I can't leave Hamilton. Today was the exception."

Courtney nodded, giving his hands a squeeze. "I'd love to. How long will you be in... in jail?" she asked, whispering the last part.

"Five days. Just the Monday through the Friday of the break."

She nodded. "I just may have to give you the time of your life before you head in there."

He chuckled. "Someone's been horny."

"Not until now, actually."

"Liar."

She groaned and rested her forehead against his. "Okay, maybe just a little bit," she murmured.

"That's what I thought."


	12. Reunited

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

**A/N: I know the last chapter was posted on the same day as the one before that... I hope you got to read both! Please review if you haven't already! Enjoy!**

Courtney stared up at the jailhouse that loomed before her. As she stared up at it, a weird feeling came before her. It was uncomfortable, and it felt almost depressing. She wanted to become a lawyer after college, and was wondering if every jailhouse would make her feel this way.

True, she was also very happy at the moment. She was there to pick up Duncan, who had been in jail since Monday. She had seen him on Saturday and Sunday, and she would have stayed until Monday, but she knew she would get incredibly emotional if she accompanied him there. They were both strangely getting emotional over him going to jail. She had cried several times just thinking about it, and she could tell he was getting upset by going. They both had told each other they knew he wasn't going to die, but in the back of her head, she wasn't so sure. She heard about the horror stories about people dying in jail, and she was afraid someone, who probably had a life-sentence there, would get pissed off by him and hit him one too many times.

She grabbed her phone and checked the time: three P.M. on the dot. He had told her to pick him up then when they had spoken on the phone the previous day. She told he could just call her instead of her visiting, since the idea of her visiting him in jail tended to make her uncomfortable.

She stepped inside the jailhouse and walked up to the front desk. "Hello," she softly said, looking over the desk and at the woman who sat behind it.

"Hello," the woman said, smiling. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm here to pick up my boyfriend," Courtney said, her voice strangely soft.

"And what's his name?" the woman asked, positioning herself so she could type in the name that Courtney presented to her.

"Duncan Evans," Courtney said, watching the woman as she typed in the name.

The woman nodded. She looked at Courtney and smiled. "He's just on the other side of these doors, checking out. If you'll have a seat in any of these chairs over here, he should be out in just a few minutes."

Courtney smiled and said, "Thank you." She walked over to the chairs. She sat in one that was in the middle of the room, but was at the end of the row. She stared down at her hands, which were resting in her lap. She stared down at her manicured nails, examining them for dirt or any other dirty spots. She had only worn fake, French-manicured nails one other time, and that was when she was thirteen. She then ran her hands through her now long hair.

She sighed, reminiscing on the events that led to her getting her nails and hair done. She hadn't though about getting extensions or getting her nails done just to impress Duncan. She didn't need to think about changing her physical appearance in order to impress her boyfriend.

Of course, her Mom thought otherwise.

Courtney didn't mean for her Mom to find out Duncan was in jail, but she didn't think her Mom would casually be listening in on her phone conversation with Bridgette, either.

_"How long until he gets out of jail?" Bridgette exclaimed._

_"Only two more days," Courtney muttered. She groaned and said, "God, Bridge... Duncan didn't even deserve to go to jail, either! His friend... ugh, I hope he's not friends with him anymore..."_

_"Oh, I hope not, either. Why would your friend stab you in the back like that?"_

_"I don't know," Courtney sighed. She was about to say something else when a knock was heard at her door._

_"Courtney?"_

_Courtney's face instantly paled. It was her Mom outside of her door, and she probably heard her daughter's entire conversation. "Bridgette, let me call you back..." she murmured, instantly hanging up her phone. She stood up and walked over to her door. She opened it and wore a cool facade as she asked her Mom, "Yes?"_

_"Can we talk for a moment?" her Mom softly asked._

_Courtney slowly nodded. As she opened her door, she knew her suave facade was slowly fading. "What did you want to talk about?" she asked, sitting on the edge of her bed._

_"Your boyfriend," her Mom said, staring down at her daughter expectantly._

_Courtney instantly looked down. She stared at the floor and softly asked, "What about-"_

_"Is he really in jail?" her Mom quickly asked._

_Courtney continued staring at the floor for a few seconds, already feeling her emotional wall breaking down. This was the end of her's and Duncan's relationship, she already knew it. She looked up at her Mom and nodded. "He is."_

_Her Mom laughed, much to her surprise. It wasn't a laugh that read, "Oh, you're so funny!" It was cynical, sarcastic. "That's great, Courtney," her Mom murmured. "You're dating a convict."_

_"He'll probably be able to get this expunged from his record," Courtney quickly quipped. She wasn't even so sure about that herself, for she barely did any research on it._

_"That may be nice," her Mom started. "But it'll be hard for us to forget that your boyfriend went to jail. How long has he been in there?"_

_"Since Monday," Courtney muttered. "He leaves on Friday. You know, it wasn't even his fault. His 'friend' basically backstabbed him."_

_"Why do you continue to even go out with him, sweetie?" her Mom softly asked._

_Her Mom being so blunt like that shocked Courtney the most. Her Mom had never asked that about either of her ex-boyfriends. Well, she barely knew about the first one, but her Mom absolutely adored her previous boyfriend. Yes, her Mom was shocked about their break-up, but didn't say anything like, "You didn't deserve to be with him."_

_"I'm still with him because I love him," Courtney simply said._

_Her Mom frowned. "We just talked about this, darling, you're just going through-"_

_"I'm not going through a stage, Mom!" Courtney said, exasperated. "I went through my 'puppy love' stage when I was with Josh. I thought I loved him, and I thought he loved me, but that wasn't exactly the case."_

_Her Mom stared at her for a few seconds before firmly questioning, "And you know it is with Duncan?"_

_"Yes." Courtney nodded before adding, "Like I just told you, I love him. And, I know he loves me, too. I know he isn't lying when he says that to me."_

_Her Mom nodded before sighing. She reached over and softly ran her hand through her daughter's hair. "I just don't want you getting hurt," she softly said._

_Courtney smiled at her Mom. "Thank you."_

_Her Mom smiled and nodded at her daughter. "Of course. Now, what do you say for a girl's day out tomorrow? We can go shopping, or go to the salon..."_

_"A trip to the salon sounds nice..." Courtney murmured, shrugging._

_Her Mom smiled and said, "You can get your nails done, and even get some hair extensions..."_

_"What? Why?" Courtney quickly asked, raising an eyebrow._

_"So you can look even more beautiful when you see your boyfriend on Friday," her Mom explained._

_Courtney absent-mindedly ran a hand through her hair. "I have always wanted long hair..." she murmured. She kind of had long hair when she was a child, but hasn't had long hair in over ten years. Her hair hadn't gone past her shoulders in that time period._

_"Well, then it's decided," her Mom said. As she walked out of Courtney's room, she said, "We'll leave at eight. I heard extensions can take a while."_

"Courtney... Oh, Princess..."

Courtney snapped out of her daze. She looked up and saw her boyfriend leaning against the front counter. She instantly grinned as she stood up and quickly made her way over to her boyfriend. Her smile got bigger as he began to smile. She instantly wrapped her arms around his neck, tightening her grip when he wrapped his arms around her waist and began to spin her lightly. She giggled, causing him to chuckle.

He put her down and stepped back lightly, just staring at her. He immediately noticed the difference her hair and told her, "Did you get extensions?"

She nodded. "Mom insisted," she told him.

"I like your hair," he said, smiling as he ran his hands through her hair. He chuckled before adding, "It's not the cheap stuff, either."

She rolled her eyes, smirking. She subconsciously leaned into his touch, her emotions going haywire at his soft touch. Their heated kiss at the park outside of the museum was the most stimulating thing to happen to them in almost two months. The few days they spent together before he left for jail was time for reminiscing and just talking. Sure, they had their fair share of kisses and soft touches, but nothing got too passionate or heated.

"Come on," he suddenly said, removing his hand from her hair and softly patting her shoulder.

"Do you want to go home?" she asked as they walked outside and away from the jail.

"Not really," Duncan said, chuckling lightly. He reached over and grabbed her hand, intertwining their fingers. "How about you and I grab something to eat first? Then we can head back to my house."

Courtney smiled, happily lacing her fingers through his. "Okay. Maybe you should call your parents first, though?"

"They knew we'd be hanging out," he said, shrugging. "It's not like you picking me up is a surprise."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. Where do you want to go?"

"I'm hungry... like, starving. The food here was shit."

"I'm sure it was," she muttered as she stepped into her car.

"Uh, it was," he persisted, shutting his door. "It wasn't as unique as Chef's food, but it was bland and horrible and... ugh. It was terrible. And the portions were small, which, you know me, I like my food, and I like lots of it..."

"Where do you want to go?" Courtney interrupted, smirking as she glanced over at her boyfriend.

"Hmm..." He pursed his lips, placing a finger to them. "Let's just head to Chili's."

"You sure do like that place," Courtney murmured.

"Oh, you're just mad that I don't like Friday's."

"I barely like Friday's, sweetheart."

"Same here... no offense."

"What? I don't cook any of the food, nor did I invent any of it."

"I know, but you work there."

"Whatever." She then paused before asking, "Can I ask you a question?"

He paused before returning with, "Sure?"

"Do you have a job?"

"Kinda."

"What do you mean?"

"I do odd-jobs here and there."

"What kind of 'odd-jobs'?"

"Sometimes I help out my parents at their job. They'll ask me to organize or whatever. Sometimes I'll help out Nonna. She'll ask me to serve or whatever. Well, sometimes I'll clean her house, and she usually pays me top dollars to do that..."

"No wonder your room is moderately clean," she muttered, her voice hinting with sarcasm and tease.

"Ha, ha." He smirked. "You're right, though."

* * *

"Oh, sweetie!"

Duncan sighed as he was engulfed in a hug by his Ma. He rested his head on her shoulder and softly patted her back. "Oh, Ma..."

"How was jail?" she bluntly asked, her voice filled with concern.

"Fun," he muttered, his voice full of sarcasm. "I had the time of my life..."

His Mom softly laughed, causing him to smirk in return. "Oh, I bet you did. Did you make any friends?"

"Yep... then he punched me."

"WHAT!" his Mom instantly exclaimed, pushing her son away from her. She kept a firm grip on his arms and stared at his face. "WHERE DID HE HIT YOU AT?"

He rolled his eyes and let out a loud sigh. He was grateful that his girlfriend were outside, or she would be freaking out as well. He wriggled out of his Ma's embrace and lifted up the side of his shirt. On his side was a light brown and purple bruise, which was the size of an apple.

"Oh, my God," his Mom gasped, bending down and softly grazing her hand over his bruise.

He hissed in pain, lightly swatting her hand away. "_Don't touch it_," he murmured.

She let out a sigh, standing up and patting his arm. "You got into a jail fight."

He groaned. "Ma, doesn't say it like that..." he whined.

"It's true!" she pointed out. "Good thing your Father isn't here..."

"I still don't quite remember what happened," Duncan admitted, scratching the back of his neck. "I remember talking to this one dude and then I woke up later with some guard's staring at me like I was the biggest idiot in the world."

"You have to watch your anger, sweetie," his Mom muttered. She smiled at him and gave his arm a final squeeze as his girlfriend walked in.

"Who'd you call?" Duncan asked, smiling at his girlfriend.

"Bridgette," Courtney said, returning the smile.

"Thank you for picking up Duncan today," Mrs. Evans softly said, walking over to Courtney and giving her a hug.

Courtney slowly wrapped her arms around Duncan's Mom. She looked over at Duncan, confused. Duncan just shrugged. He then winked at her and gave her two thumbs up. She rolled her eyes and said to his Mom, "You're welcome."

"Your Father told me to tell you how sorry he is that he couldn't be here," his Mom said, letting go of Courtney and turning towards her son.

"He's at a conference, right?" When his Mom nodded, he said, "I don't care."

"He wanted to be here when you got out of jail..."

"So he could lecture me?" Duncan snapped.

"Duncan..." his Mom warned.

"_What_?" he muttered.

Mrs. Evans sighed and looked over at Courtney. Her son's girlfriend was awkwardly standing there. Her hand held onto her opposite arm as she looked down. Mrs. Evans frowned and said, "I'm sorry about our little tiff, Courtney."

Courtney instantly looked up, smiling. "It's okay," she said, placing her hands behind her back.

Mrs. Evans stared at Courtney for a few moments before saying, "Darling... Does your hair grow really quickly?"

Duncan snorted as Courtney softly laughed. "Aah, no... I, uhh, got some extensions a few days ago..."

"Oh, you look so pretty!" his Mom exclaimed, smiling happily.

Courtney sheepishly laughed, tucking some hair behind her ear. "Thank you..." she murmured, her face turning pink.

Mrs. Evans smiled and said, "I've never had any of those... How do they feel?"

"They hurt a bit the first day," Courtney admitted. "It feels pretty natural now, though."

"Natural, eh?" Duncan teased, earning a gasp from Courtney.

Mrs. Evans laughed, shaking her head. "Oh, you two," she murmured. "Well, I'm going to get ready for work now." She turned to Courtney and said, "You know you're welcome to stay here as long as you need to."

Courtney softly smiled. "Thank you," she softly said.

"So..." Duncan started, walking over to his girlfriend and wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

"Hmm?" Courtney smirked up at Duncan, resting her hands on his arms.

"I've got some beer in the fridge..." He laughed as she made a disgusted face. "Oh, babe. I'm of legal age now! And we're not going anywhere. We can drink a little..."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine. I'll have a few sips. Then what?"

He smirked, running his hands down her sides. "Well..."


	13. Day Date

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

**A/N: This took TOO LONG to write! But, with me moving in two weeks and working all the time, it's been hard to write, let alone think about writing. I'm slowly working on this story and "The Best of the Rest", as well as that "The Fake Engagement" one-shot I talked about before. Please remember to review! Those really help me write more! Thank you! I hope you all enjoy this!**

Courtney and Duncan never knew what to expect on their dates. Sure, they always planned things. Sometimes, their plans would go accordingly - but other things would arise as well. Or, sometimes their plans would go awry, and they'd end up doing something else, anyway. After being separated for so long, both were trying to spend as much time as they could together. Sometimes they would plan ahead, and sometimes they wouldn't, for they really wanted to spend time together. Neither wanted to think negatively, but both were constantly thinking, "What if something were to tear us apart once more?" They spent most weekends together. Usually Courtney had to work at least one shift on either, or both, Saturday and Sunday, but they would still find time to spend together. There were also some weekdays that they spent together, but those usually were for studying or if one happened to be in the others city.

Duncan stared off into the distance, letting out a sigh. Him and Courtney were currently at Hamilton's Sam Lawrence Park, which rested at the top of the mountain in Hamilton. Both were sitting on a bench, staring off into the city below. Since it felt moderately nice outside, Duncan decided to take her to the park. It's where he often went to get away from absolutely everything. Since she had the day off, they decided to just wander (or drive, rather) around Hamilton.

"What are you thinking about?"

Duncan's thoughts were interrupted by Courtney's softly asked question. He looked down at his girlfriend, who was curiously looking up at him. He shrugged before responding, "Everything. I tend to do that when I come up here."

Courtney nodded before staring out into the distance. They had a clear view of downtown Hamilton, and could even see Lake Ontario in the distance. "It's very peaceful up here."

"It is," he agreed, nodding. He looked straight ahead and asked, "What were you thinking about?"

She paused for a few moments, immensely sparking his attention. She then said to him, "I got something in the mail today."

"Yeah...?"

He looked down at her as she bent down and went through her purse. He watched her grab a letter out of her bag. He figured it was an acceptance letter from some college, but wasn't about to ask. He frowned when she put the envelope on his lap. "What's this?"

"Open it."

He looked at her and saw that she was looking at him expectantly. He gingerly grabbed the envelope and noticed that it was already opened. He didn't see any college logo on the envelope. It was blank instead. He took the letter out of the envelope and unfolded it. He began to laugh as he skimmed through the letter.

_Dear Courtney,_

_You, along with every other contestant of Total Drama Island (as well as Total Drama Action), have been invited back to participate in the third season of Total Drama! In this season, you and the other contestants will be traveling around the world, participating in various challenges. Each of you will be competing for another million dollars!_

_If you are interested, please return this letter with the information needed._

_Sincerely, _  
_The Production Staff_

Duncan tossed the letter onto her lap as he continued to laugh. "What a bunch of _bullshit_!" he exclaimed.

Courtney half-heartedly giggled, shrugging. "I guess..."

His laughing immediately stopped at her reaction. "Wait a second... You're not thinking of going back, are you?"

She shrugged, staring away from him. "I mean... Sure, the show wasn't all that fun-"

"It majorly sucked."

"-but... It takes place around the world..."

"Yeah, whatever Chris' definition of that is." He sighed before continuing, "You'd have to suffer through Chris' bullshit again. Do you _really_ want to be around that maniac for another three months again?"

She pondered that for a moment. "Not really," she finally said.

"Yeah, I definitely said '_no_'."

"Wait, you got one of these?" Courtney suddenly asked, looking up at him.

Duncan nodded. "Sure did."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Oh, I just got it yesterday. It slipped my mind until now, really."

She sighed and looked up at him. "So you're not returning?"

"I wouldn't have returned last season if we weren't obligated to or whatever..." He looked down at her and asked, "Are you going back?"

She pondered that question before a smirk slowly appeared on her face. "Hell no."

He chuckled and muttered, "You big ol' tease..."

"Took you long enough."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," he murmured. "Plus, I already won the million. True, winning it again would be great, but..." He shrugged. He then wrapped an arm around her shoulders and said, "I got money and a girl from the show. What more could a guy ask for?"

Courtney giggled, rolling her eyes. "How much of your million have you blown off?"

He pretended to act offended as he scoffed at her. "I'll have you know that I have only spent a necessary amount of money from my fortune."

She giggled and muttered, "Yeah, fortune..."

He rolled his eyes, smirking. "I've only paid off my jail time, actually."

"Seriously?"

He nodded. "I wasn't dead broke before I received the money, and I'm not about to blow it all at once."

"So you're just going to save it?"

He nodded before shrugging. "I guess. I mean, I've got nothing better to spend it on..." An idea suddenly popped into his head. He told her, "You seemed intrigued by the idea of traveling..."

Shrugging, she told him, "I wasn't really serious, but, uhh... Traveling is nice, I agree, and I would love to visit places outside of Canada..."

"Well, let's do something this summer."

She just sat there, completely shocked. "Really?" she finally asked.

He nodded. "Really."

"Where?"

"Well, there's a possibility of me visiting my family in Italy this summer... Nonna took Dylan after he graduated, and she's pretty sure she's visiting this summer, too... But I'm sure you don't want to visit my family..."

"That's... personal, yes," she said. "Have you ever traveled outside of the country?"

"It's been a few years, but, yes."

"Where?"

"Italy. And America. I want to say Germany, too, but if that even happened, I was little when that happened..."

"Why Germany?"

"Ma likes Germany. You been anywhere?"

"America and France."

"Why France?"

"My family's from there."

He smirked and lowly muttered, "No wonder you sound sexy as hell when you speak French..."

"Oh, shut up," she muttered, smiling.

"_En fran ais, ma cherie_..." he murmured, leaning down and leaving kisses on her neck.

She rolled her eyes, still smiling. "_Non_," she simply replied. Depsite the smile, she had to resist the urge to let out a moan as he continued kissing her neck. When he began to bite and nibble on her ear, her body instantly leaned closer to him as she gasped. She quickly whispered to him, "Duncan, we're at a park..."

"And nobody's around," he quietly said, wrapping his arms around her waist and bringing her closer to him.

She smiled as she rested her head on his shoulder, quickly sneaking away from his kisses. One arm wrapped around his backside, the other laid on his thigh. "Have you ever been to Niagara Falls?"

"Uhh... I haven't, actually. You?"

"Nope."

"Well, maybe we should go there, Princess."

She couldn't help but smile. That name drove her mad at times, but the way he said it just then brought a smile to her face. "Maybe we should," she softly said. "I heard it's beautiful there." Duncan nodded. He stared ahead, looking at the city before him. One arm rested behind her against the chair, the other was playing with the end of her shirt. Courtney snuggled closer to her boyfriend and quietly asked, "What are you thinking about?"

"Too much stuff." He quietly chuckled before adding, "Just... stuff. I don't think I should be thinking about it."

She tilted her head up and playfully whined, "Tell me..."

He chuckled once more before saying, "You're not gonna like it..."

Courtney leaned back slightly. She rested one hand on his chest and laid the other on one of his arms. "Duncan, what's wrong?"

Duncan let out a sigh before murmuring, "I'm just thinking about what's going to happen when you go to college..."

She stared at him for a few moments before turning her head away. She was now thinking about that as well. What would happen to them when she went to college? What if she went to college outside of Toronto? Outside of Canada? Outside of North America? Well, she briefly thought about studying in Europe, but dismissed that idea a long time ago. After moments of silence, she finally said to him, "We'll figure something out. We always do."

He nodded, letting out a sigh. "Sucks I'm probably not going to college, otherwise I'd suggest we live together..."

Those words took her by surprise. He thought about them living together? It wasn't as if she didn't think about that - sure, there were times where she wished they could live together, but there were always so many things preventing them from doing so. Now high school was ending, and they were going to be adults, free to do whatever they pleased. "Uh... I mean, maybe there are apartments on campus that we could live in together..."

"What campus?"

"I've got it narrowed down between York University and University of Toronto."

Duncan nodded. He remained in silence for about a minute, thinking. "Ma, Dad, and Sally are Alma maters of UT..."

"Sally?"

"My Aunt. Ma's sister. Brian's Mom." When Courtney nodded, he continued, "Ma and Dad also work at UT from time-to-time... And then Dylan actually attends UT and lives in the apartments there."

Courtney nodded once more. "You could probably get in, then. Well, at least get an apartment there... Or, if you can't, maybe my grades and extracurricular activities will impress them enough to where I can skip the dorms and just move to an apartment close-by..."

Duncan nodded, smiling softly. "Sounds like a plan," he softly said, leaning over and giving her a soft kiss.

She returned the kiss and softly said, "I love you, Duncan. I don't want this... this situation to hurt our relationship."

"It won't," he re-assured her, kissing her nose softly. "I just..." He chuckled. "This place makes me think so much, and us... Things are going so good between us right now..."

"And things are going to stay that way," she re-assured him. "I think we'll be fine unless something extreme happens. Something like... death or infidelity..."

When she stopped speaking, he smirked and asked, "I told you, this place gets you thinking..."

"Would you ever go out with somebody like Gwen?" Courtney suddenly blurted out. She looked up at Duncan and stared at him.

Duncan raised an eyebrow. "You mean, would I ever go out with Gwen?"

"I... uhh..."

"No."

Her eyes grew wide. "Really? I mean, you're not just saying that because-"

"I'm not saying that just to please you," he told her. He grabbed her hands and gave them a squeeze. He looked in her eyes and told her, "I would never go out with Gwen."

"But... but you two have so much in common! You-you kind of act alike, too!"

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered, shrugging. "That's exactly why I wouldn't go out with her."

She furrowed her eyebrows. "I don't understand."

He pursed his lips and looked off for a few seconds. He returned his gaze to her before explaining, "Let's put it this way: Even though both my parents are police officers, their personalities are very different. My Dad's... He's strict. He's stern. My Mom's kinda loose and carefree. Well, she's strict, but she's, uhh... She's more fun than my Dad, I guess you could say. They balance each other. Gwen and I are alike, sure, and we could be good friends, 'cause, like, Michelle and I are kinda similar and we get along great... Anyway, Gwen and I are too alike. We'd get bored pretty quick, I'd say." A naughty smirk appeared on his face before he casually shrugged and added, "I've never dated a Goth, either."

"Really?" she asked, looking up at him with disbelief.

He nodded. "It's true. Now, punk girls I've dated. I've messed around with some other types of girls, too..."

"Oh really?"

He smirked, noticing her distaste for where the conversation was steering. "Yes really. Just, like... some other girls. A couple of cheerleaders, too."

"At once?"

He blinked at her subtlety as he slowly shook his head. "Almost, but no... Why? Interested in something like that?"

"Oh, no," she muttered, instantly turning red. "I-it's just the way you said 'a couple of cheerleaders'..."

"It almost led up to a threesome," he murmured, causing his girlfriend to frown and turn even redder. "But, one of the girls was just more... mm, dominating..."

"Somebody likes to be dominated, eh?" Courtney lowly asked, smirking mischievously up at her boyfriend.

Duncan chuckled, a hint of blush rushing to his face. "Nah," he muttered. He cleared his throat before saying, "But, yeah... Gwen and I could never happen. For obvious reasons..."

"Is it because we're together?" Courtney asked, her voice laced with tease.

He coyly shrugged. "_Questa e una possibilita_..."

She groaned. "Duncan!" she whined. "You know I can't speak Italian!"

"You know you like hearing me speak Italian," he whispered in her ear, his arms once again wrapped around her.

She held onto his arms, smiling. In truth, she loved it, and though he never believed her, she always found him even more sexier when speaking Italian. "I do," she murmured.

He chuckled and kissed her temple before saying, "_Ti amo, la mia principessa_."

Her grin widened. She knew what that phrase meant, for he said it to her quite a bit. "_Je t'aime, mon_..." She paused before adding, "_Mon prince_."

"Your Prince, eh?" he asked, giving her cheek another kiss. He then patted her sides and said, "Let's go home. Mom said she found another photo album."

"Oh, I brought one as well. It's in the back of your car."

His grin widened. "Well, well. I finally get to see bunches of pictures of when Courtney was a baby..."

* * *

"Hey, Court, what's this picture from?"

"Oh, sweetie, don't ask her anything. Just let her rest."

Duncan and his Mom were sitting at the dining room table, looking through pictures in Courtney's album. Courtney was laying on their couch, an ice pack on her forehead and a heating page on her stomach. Some horrible cramps had hit her as her and Duncan were driving to his house. A headache also emerged from the cramps.

Courtney sat up, holding up the ice pack and the heating pad as she peered over the top of the couch. "What picture?" she muttered.

"This one," Duncan said, holding up a picture.

Courtney squinted, but stopped when her headache caused her more pain. "Come over here, I can't see it too well."

"Oh, no-" his Mom started to say, but sighed when her son picked up the photo album and walked over to the couch. She followed her son over to the couch and sat next to him.

Duncan re-opened the book and handed the picture to Courtney. Courtney, after putting down the ice pack, grabbed the picture and stared at it for a few moments. It was a picture of Courtney hugging an elderly lady that was holding her. She finally said, "That was me with my Nana. I was... four or five. We were visiting her in Montreal."

"She lives in Montreal?" Duncan asked, raising his eyebrows.

"She used to," Courtney explained. "She's from France, hence why we've been on vacations there. When I was born, she decided to live in Montreal, since it's mostly French-speaking and her English wasn't all that great... Around the time I turned six, she moved back to France."

"Where in France does she live?" his Mom asked.

"She lives in Lyon," Courtney said, smiling. "It's a very beautiful city."

They continued to look through the photos, but shortly afterward, Courtney felt a sharp pain slowly grow stronger and stronger. She let out a long breath, trying to breathe normally through the cramps. She smiled softly when she felt Duncan's arm wrap around her waist. His hand rested on top of hers, and he partially intertwined their fingers as his thumb softly ran across her skin.

"Are you sure you don't want any Tylenol or Ibuprofen or anything like that?" his Mom asked, frowning at the young girl.

Courtney shook her head, giving the older woman a smile. "I'm sure, but thank you."

"I just hate to see you sitting right there in so much pain..." his Mom said, still frowning slightly.

"I bet you're glad you didn't have any girls, huh?" Duncan asked, smirking.

His Mom rolled her eyes, smiling. She suddenly jumped up when the house phone rang. "You two keep looking through those, I'll be back shortly."

"Why won't you take any pills?" Duncan softly asked.

"You know why," Courtney muttered, looking up at her boyfriend.

He had to think for a moment, but finally remembered her past problems with pill-taking. He gave her hand a squeeze and muttered, "Sorry, I forgot."

"It's okay," she said, smiling. "Can we lay down, though? My back is starting to kill me..."

"Say no more." He shut her photo album and placed it on the coffee table in front of them. He turned to his girlfriend and said, "Now, lay on your side. The couch is big enough for the two of us..."

"I dunno..." she teased, smiling. She slowly slid down and laid against the back of the couch. She turned onto her side and rested her head against a pillow.

Duncan smirked and slid down next to her. He laid on his back, his head also resting on the pillow. He softly said, "Mom said earlier you're welcome to stay for dinner."

"What is she cooking tonight?"

"Hmm... I'm not sure. She said something about finding one of Nonna's recipes and cooking that..."

Courtney smiled, snuggling her head on Duncan's chest. "Didn't you say your Mom found some new photo album?"

"Oh, yeah..." Duncan reached over and grabbed another photo album from the coffee table. The cover read:

**La Famiglia Evans **  
**Viaggio in Italia **  
**1998**

Courtney read the title and muttered, "Uh... The Evans Family... Something, Italy... 1998...?"

"Yep, Evans Family, Trip to Italy, 1998," Duncan said, smirking. He opened the cover and instantly groaned at the front page, which was only a big picture of him, his two brothers, and his parents.

"Aww!" Courtney said, grinning. "You're so cute there!"

"Oh, hush," Duncan harshly muttered, flipping the page.

Courtney smirked, snuggling closer to Duncan. "Where does your family live at in Italy?"

"Uh... Lots of places, really," he said, shrugging. "They mostly live around Venice. Oh, who all lives there... My Uncles Antonio and Rinaldo... My Aunt Giorgetta... My cousins... Oh, I've got a lot of those there..."

"Are any of these people your age?" Courtney asked.

"My cousins are..." He paused. "They're kind of my age. My Dad's the oldest, and then my other Aunt, Marietta, who lives in Edmonton, is younger than him. She's... She's, like, three years younger than my Dad, but Dylan and her oldest, Jake, were born the same year. The other Uncles and Aunt didn't have children until after I was born... well, they all suddenly started having kids when Danny was born. I'm kinda that awkward middle child that was born after a few kids were born, and then before everyone else was born..."

"What are your Dad and Nonna's names?" she asked. She couldn't help but be fascinated by the names of the people in Duncan's family. All of his Dad's sisters and brothers had such authentic Italian names.

"Nonna's full first name is Luciana, but I've heard Nonno and some other people call her Lucia," he said. "Dad's name is Giovanni."

"So... Why did your parents name you three such... such non-authentic Italian names?"

"Well, like my Aunt Marietta and her husband... uhh, well, her ex-husband, David... they wanted us to have more 'normal' names, ones that kids or teachers couldn't make fun of us for. My bros and I have Italian middle names, though."

"Really?"

Duncan nodded. "Yep."

"What's yours?"

"Ricardo."

"Duncan Ricardo Evans..." She paused for a moment, taking his name in. "I like it."

"What's your middle name?" he asked, sitting up slightly so he could wrap his arm around her shoulders.

She re-situated herself in his arms before saying, "Marie."

"Courtney Marie Richardson... Cute."

She rolled her eyes. "Yep. Now, I want to see more pictures of baby you..."

"Babe, I wasn't that cute..."

"Yes, you were," she persistently said. "Now, you were six here?"

"Yep."

For the next hour or so, the two of them looked through the photo album. Duncan had many stories about the photos, from family dinners to car trips to when him and his brothers got into trouble. Courtney temporarily forgot about the pain in her lower stomach while she looked at all the pictures and heard all the descriptions. Her head rested on his shoulder and one of her hands rested on his chest. He always kept an arm wrapped around her while they laid there together. Once they were done, he placed the album slightly-gingerly on the floor before staring at his girlfriend, who was smiling fondly at him.

"You were adorable as a child."

He groaned, leaning forward and resting his forehead against hers. "You sound like Ma..."

"What? Two girls who love you can't love your younger self?"

He grinned and rolled his eyes before capturing her lips in his. "Just don't go spreading that around, okay?"

"Your secret's safe with me."


	14. His Prom

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

"Duncan, I'm pulling up to your house right now."

"You're here sooner than I thought you would be."

"I left an hour ago!"

"I'll meet you outside. Ma's going insane. Dad's... He's trying to keep her calm. You know how she gets. '_Oh, my baby's going to prom! He's growing up so much!_'"

Courtney giggled at Duncan's impression of his Mom. "Look, I'll talk to you when I get to your house, okay?"

"Alrighty."

She was driving to his house, and was going to be his prom date that night. She immediately said "yes" to his prom invitation - she was going to invite him to her prom that day herself. She was glad their proms weren't the same day, or during the same weekend; it gave them time to think about how they were going to look for each prom.

Well, it gave her time to think about how she'd look for each prom.

When she told him she was going to buy two dresses, he told her he was probably going to wear the same thing. He wasn't going to spend unnecessary money on two different tuxedos.

Courtney pulled onto his street and, after driving almost all the way down the street, finally found his house. She parked in front of it and wasn't surprised to find Duncan sitting on his front steps, watching her car pull up. She turned off her car and grabbed her purse before stepping out of the car.

Duncan watched his girlfriend step out of her car. He couldn't help but marvel at how amazing she looked. She wore an almost knee-length dress, one with a bodice that was pink and filled with sparkles and sequins, and the fabric underneath went from white to light pink and became darker until it turned into dark park. The shoes, which were three-and-a-half, were also light pink, and a set of rhinestones on the bottom strap.

He kept smiling at her as she approached his house. She stopped at his steps and asked, "Aren't you going to get up?"

He shrugged. "When I'm done staring at you, probably."

She rolled her eyes, though he smirked at the blush that instantly emerged on her cheeks. She then asked, "Shall we head inside?"

He shrugged and stood up. He jogged down the few steps and stood in front of her. He placed his hands on her waist and murmured, "You look beautiful, you know that?"

She smiled and looked down, shrugging. "I guess... Now that I think about it, my dress it a bit short, and it's different colors..."

He chuckled. "Now's not the time to freak out, darling." He lifted his hand and used a finger to tilt her chin up. He saw her eyes stay downcast temporarily before looking up at him. He gave her a small, genuine smile and told her, "I'm serious. You look beautiful." He carelessly shrugged before adding, "Take it as it is, babe. You know I'm rare with my serious compliments."

She rolled her eyes, though a genuine smile lay on her face. "Thank you, Duncan. You don't look half-bad yourself."

He rolled his eyes in return. "Thanks, sweetheart. I say you look beautiful, you call me half-decent..."

She gaped at him and lightly smacked his arm. "You _know_ what I meant!" she snapped.

He chuckled and leaned forward, lightly pecking her on the lips. "You know I'm just messing with you," he murmured against her lips.

She returned the small kiss. "As usual," she murmured in return. "Let's go inside."

"Yeah, I still hear Ma screamin'," he muttered, grabbing her hand and leading her up the stairs.

As soon as the couple entered the house, they were bombarded by his Mom. She was taking picture after picture after picture of the couple, who were a bit uncomfortable with the sudden confrontation. Duncan's Dad stayed in another part of the room, sending apologetic glances to the couple as they were placed in different positions and different parts of the room for the various pictures.

"_Ma!_" Duncan snapped after what seemed like what was the hundredth photo taken.

"Yes?" his Mom calmly, and sweetly, asked.

"I think you took plenty of pictures," Duncan slowly said. "You've got enough for the family and Courtney's family..."

"Oh, maybe I should take a few more," Duncan's Mom started. "Courtney's parents aren't here-"

"_No!_" Duncan immediately said. He let out a breath before saying, "I mean... I'll be going to Courtney's prom next week. We'll have more pictures then."

"How will I be able to take pictures then?" his Mom asked.

"I'm sure Courtney's parents are able to use a camera," Duncan muttered.

"I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind taking a few pictures to send to you," Courtney explained.

Duncan's Mom pondered there for a few moments before shrugging. "All right then," she finally said. She smiled at the couple and said, "You two look so adorable. Don't you two do anything you'd be ashamed of." She looked at her son, narrowing her eyes. She mouthed, '_I'm talking about you in particular_'.

Duncan gaped at his Mom while Courtney stifled her giggles. "Thanks, Ma," he muttered, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Anytime," his Mom said, smiling as she patted his shoulder. "Now, go on. And call us if you're going to be extremely late."

* * *

"You think they'll stop staring soon?"

"Doubt it. They kinda know we're dating..."

"Does the whole school know?"

"Uh, _yes_. Our show was quite popular... Don't tell me the kids at your school don't know we go out."

Courtney sighed, resting her forehead on his chest. "I guess they do," she murmured. "You're never there, though, and nobody really talks about us..."

"That is true..." Duncan murmured. "Well, you're never here, either, but... Well, the kids here never talked about us until the other day... '_Ooh, are you going to take Courtney to the prom_?' or '_Do you and Courtney still go out? I bet you two don't_.' I know half the kids here are '_friends_' with me on Facebook, so I know they've seen pictures of us together..."

Courtney giggled at his mild outburst. "It's okay," she muttered. "So, what do you want to do after this?"

"I'm hungry," he said. "I could use some real food. What about you? What do you want to do?"

"Going out sounds fine," she muttered before letting out a yawn.

He smiled, kissing the top of her head. "Tired?"

"Just a little bit. What are you hungry for?"

After a moment's silence, he responded, "Breakfast sounds good..."

"Mm, pancakes..."

"Nah, French toast or waffles..."

"If we go out for breakfast, I'm getting pancakes."

"And I'm getting eggs with whatever the hell I order, okay?"

"I don't care what you get..." she groaned, burying her head in his chest.

"You know, I bet Ma's willing to cook us up some food... Or, at least for me, if you're not too hungry..."

"This is your night," Courtney said, looking up at him. "We'll do whatever you want."

"Let's just order some takeout," he immediately said. "I just remembered Ma and Pa may be working tonight. Um... Oh, then we can go to my house and just hang out there." He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Honestly, I'd rather be there than here, anyway."

"Prom isn't all that fun," she softly agreed.

"Did you go last year?" When she shook her head, he asked, "Why?"

"I had nobody to go with..." She looked up at him and shrugged. "I would have invited you, but..."

"We weren't exactly talking all too much then." He shrugged before adding, "I didn't go, either. Not because I had no one to go with... I've never been interested in prom."

"Yet you're going to two this year?"

"Ma suggested I go to at least one of my own, and you invited me to yours, so..." He shrugged once more. "It's all good, though. You're fun to be around." He chuckled when she pinched his arm. "They have to do all this Senior-y stuff, so we'll wait until that's finished, and we'll abandon this sinking ship, 'kay?"

She giggled, shaking her head. "Sounds like a plan."

After the few slow dance songs were played, the two of them exited the dance floor. They sat down near the back of the room. They sat there for a few minutes, talking about anything that popped in their minds. They sat there, holding hands the entire time. Each of their touches was almost intoxicating to the other. While Courtney was one to give her friends and family hugs, it felt different hugging and holding onto Duncan; in a way, his touch was more special than others. Duncan wasn't one to really touch anyone in any kind of way. He rarely gave anyone any kind of hug; he was much more of a high-five-ing person. It was different with Courtney, because he could hold her all day long.

"Do your parents ever patrol the school?" Courtney suddenly asked.

"They have... two or three times," Duncan said. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, I was just thinking about how they're police officers... Didn't you once say everyone in your family is a police officer?"

He chuckled. "I think I did, back for the show. I exaggerated a bit there. Obviously Nonna isn't a police officer, but Nonno was... Um... Obviously, my younger cousins aren't, but some definitely want to be..." He shrugged, leaning back in his chair. "It's good and bad to know all the police officers both here in town and some other places. The ones here in Hamilton and Toronto, and I think some other towns, know about all my crimes, so if they see me... Yeah, they'll say 'hello' and such, but they'll keep that extra eye on me, y'know? The ones I know in Italy don't know of any of that... Well, they think I got into some petty fights. They don't know about all the trips to juvie and that one visit to jail..."

"Is your bruise finally healing?" she asked. She wrapped her arm around his torso and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Yeah, thank God," he muttered, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Thank you for taking me to the hospital the other day, by the way."

"You're welcome."

"_Will all Seniors now come to the stage for the annual Senior Walk_..."

"'_Senior Walk_'?" Courtney asked, smirking at her boyfriend.

Duncan rolled his eyes. "We just walk on the stage... Obviously it's for Seniors..."

"You better get up there," she said, patting his back. He chuckled and quickly stood up and walked over to the stage. She watched him, smiling in amusement. She knew they didn't have this thing at her school, and she had never heard of it before, so she was excited to see all what happened. She soon realized it was literally just a walk for seniors - everyone clapped and cheered as the seniors walked across the stage. She expected Duncan to get the same adequate amount of claps and cheers as most people, but she was wrong. Duncan got a huge amount of cheers. She rolled her eyes, already knowing the cheering would give his ego an even bigger boost. She smiled when their eyes locked, and laughed when she realized he was enjoying the attention.

She couldn't help but beam at her boyfriend as he walked over to her after the walk was over. He raised an eyebrow and said, "What are you so happy about?"

"I'm just proud of you, that's all."

He looked down and smiled. He suddenly felt shy, almost uncomfortable. It wasn't too common for anyone to say that to him, and even rarer for him to say that to anyone. He had heard that phrase from his Ma a few times, especially over the past year. His Nonna liked to say that to him every once in a while, but she said that to everyone. His friends and some of his cousins had said that to him, only as an accomplishment because of being able to date Courtney as long as they had been. He looked up and saw that Courtney was genuinely smiling at him. "Thanks," he softly said, smiling at her.

"You ready to abandon this sinking ship?" she teased, giggling as she held out her hand to him.

He laughed and grabbed her hand. "Way to steal my phrase, babe."

* * *

"So..."

Courtney tiredly looked up at her boyfriend as he stroked her hair. "Yeah?" she whispered.

"Thanks for coming with me tonight."

She smiled, her eyes slowly blinking in tiredness. "You're very welcome."

"And, um... Thanks for being here for me, y'know... Especially when I went to jail..."

She turned onto her side and sat up slightly. "You don't need to thank me for that," she quietly said. "It's..." She grabbed onto his hand. She shut her eyes and took a few deep breaths. "I love you too much to watch you crash and burn. Not that you were doing that, but..." She shrugged, opening her eyes. "It seems like I'm one of the few people that's really looking out for you, Duncan."

"Same with you," he muttered. "With the whole..." He pursed his lips, trying to figure out how to phrase himself correctly. "It seems like we're one of the few people in each of our lives looking out for each other."

"We need each other," she softly said. "You need me to keep you out of trouble... for the most part..."

"You need me to keep you from going clinically insane..."

She rolled her eyes, smirking. "That is true," she muttered. She then yawned; she used her hand to cover her mouth as she let out a big yawn. She then fell back against his pillows and muttered, "Goodnight, Duncan..."

He smiled and laid his head down. He wrapped his arm around her waist lightly and quietly said, "Goodnight, Courtney. I love you."

Just as he thought she had fallen asleep and didn't hear him, she surprised him by whispering, "I love you, too."

**A/N: Not exactly my longest chapter, but still sweet nonetheless. I find it funny, and strange, how I can plan way ahead for my stories, yet I can't seem to conjure up ideas for a current timeline! I wanted to write about Duncan's prom, but I'm not too sure anymore... I wanted to write about that next and then write about their graduation's, but I'm thinking of skipping to the graduations. What do you all think? What should I do? Also, thank you for the reviews! Keep them coming! And remember to read and review the sequel as well!**


	15. Their Promise

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews! Just a little note (for I have forgotten to do this in a few chapters before) - while this isn't a very sexual chapter, there are a couple of those moments in here. Also, for those who read "The Fake Engagement"... Remember chapter three, entitled "The Ring"? You'll be happy to know that a certain moment briefly explained in that chapter is fully explained here. (If you don't remember a certain moment, go back and read that before reading this... It'll all make sense once you read this.) Please, please review!**

Courtney couldn't help her smile as she drove down the street and up to Duncan's house. She had a number of reasons to smile. She was turning 18 that day. She was officially an adult! She had spent a lot of the day with her parents, who made her breakfast and took her out to lunch. Unfortunately, her Dad got called into work after lunch, but her Mom was able to take her shopping. She was also happy because she was going out to dinner with Duncan and was going to spend the night with him. They've been out to dinner plenty of times, but tonight, they were going out to a special, nicer restaurant, something they never did before. She had spend the night with him before, but the next day, he was going to graduate high school. She didn't want to have to travel back and forth between Toronto and Hamilton of the course of those few days, so she decided to stay with him.

She was so very proud of him. When she first met him, she thought he was going to drop out of high school. She didn't think he was very intelligent at all. But they soon started dating, and as she really got to know him, she was very wrong. Even during those moments in between "Total Drama Island" and "Total Drama Action" where they didn't quite talk as much, she got to learn things about him on Facebook. He wasn't just a delinquent that always got into trouble and hung around the wrong crowd. His cousin, Brian, was his best friend, and they were almost complete opposites. They both swore like sailors, and, at times, acted a bit immature for their ages. When they decided to really work on their relationship, she learned of his intelligence. He used it only when necessary; he wasn't about to go out and use those big words he sometimes knew the meaning to.

As she pulled up to his house, she realized that there were a lot of cars parked in his driveway and in front of his house. She pursed her lips and decided to park in front of the neighbor's house. Hopefully they wouldn't mind too much, seeing as she would only be there for a few minutes... hopefully. She knew there was a change he would be driving. She got out of her car, grabbing her handbag. As she walked up to his house, she thought about how she looked. She wore a solid black dress that had one strap. On that one strap was a large, black flower. The dress ended three inches above her knee. Her shoes were also solid black. They were five inches in height, and were some of the tallest shoes she had ever worn. She stepped up his front steps and knocked on his door.

"Aah, I figured it was you..."

She rolled her eyes at Brian. "Really, now?" she retorted, raising an eyebrow.

"You know, if you and Duncan weren't dating, I'd totally hit on you..." he quietly said, leaning forward as he did so.

Whether or not he was serious, she wasn't sure. She playfully said, "You know, if Duncan and I weren't dating, you and I probably wouldn't know each other..."

"Who's there?"

Courtney furrowed her eyebrows. She didn't recognize the voice, but could tell it was an older woman. "Who was that?"

Brian grinned. "My Mom," he proudly said. He turned around and called out, "It's Courtney!"

Courtney smiled, nodding. Now she fully understood why all the cars were there. "So... All these cars that are parked here... Everyone in Duncan's family, right?"

"And mine." He smirked, rolling his eyes. "But yes, his family. And there's only more to come..."

She laughed. "I see. So, where is my boyfriend?"

"Hmm..." Brian put a finger to his lips, looking away thoughtfully. "I'm... Not sure, actually. I'm not sure where him or his Momma are at..."

"I'm... I don't think his Mom is accompanying us tonight," she muttered.

He chuckled. "No, no. But, you know them... If you can find one, you can find the other, and I can't find either, so..."

She giggled. "Well, may I step inside?"

He shrugged, opening the door and stepping aside. She walked in and looked around. "Mom!" Brian immediately called out, causing Courtney to jump.

A slightly older woman walked into the room. "Yes?" she asked.

"Mom, Courtney... Duncan's girlfriend," Brian said, introducing the two women. "Courtney, Mom... Sally, Duncan's Aunt, whatever you want to call her..."

The woman laughed, walking over to Courtney and shaking her hand. "Just call me Sally," she said, smiling.

Courtney smiled. "It's nice to meet you."

"Where are Duncan and Suzie?" Brian asked.

Sally thought for a moment. "Upstairs," she finally said. "Yeah, they're upstairs." She quickly turned to Courtney and said, "Don't go up there."

"Oh, yeah," Brian said, nodding. "Don't go up there... Good thing we remembered when we did..."

"So, why should I stay away from upstairs?" Courtney questioned.

"Duncan and Suzie are just up in his room," Sally explained. "But they've been up there for a while, let me see if they'll come down..." She walked over to the edge of the staircase and exclaimed, "Suzie!"

"You know what I just noticed?" Brian asked.

Courtney turned and looked at her boyfriend's cousin. "What would that be?"

"You're almost as tall as me today. Did you shoot up a few inches since we last saw each other?"

Courtney smirked. "Yep. Five inches."

"_Really_?"

She laughed, rolling her eyes. "_No_," she said. She then pointed down at her shoes and said, "You might want to take a look at these..."

He followed her finger and nodded. "Those are some mighty tall shoes," he said.

"Oh, _my God_, Courtney!"

Courtney smiled slightly as she was engulfed in a hug by Duncan's Mom. "Hello," she muttered.

"You are so pretty tonight!" Mrs. Evans exclaimed, now holding out the younger girl in front of her. She paused for a moment before saying, "And we're the same height today..." She looked down and gasped. "Oh, my! Can you walk in those?"

Courtney nodded, smiling. "Yeah. I've worn taller shoes..."

"Oh, you are so pretty..." Suzie softly said. "And so toned! I am so jealous, sweetie."

Courtney laughed, a blush instantly covering her cheeks. "I, uh... I just work out every now and then..."

"I was just a skinny little thing back in high school," Mrs. Evans said. "Barely any muscle... nothing."

"Someone's super jealous and creepy..." Brian muttered.

Mrs. Evans rolled her eyes and turned to her nephew. "Go upstairs and see what's taking Duncan. I told him to come down, but..."

Brian nodded. He walked to the end of the stairs and started to walk up when he stopped. He grinned. He covered his mouth, in hopes no one would see what he was saying, and mouthed to his cousin, '_Your girlfriend is hot_!'

Duncan glared at his cousin as he slowly made his way downstairs. "You better _not_ have been hitting on her..."

"And what if I was?" Brian retorted, raising an eyebrow.

Duncan rolled his eyes as he reached the bottom of the stairs. He looked over and had to keep his mouth in place so it wouldn't drop open. To say his girlfriend looked good was an understatement. She was beautiful, gorgeous, sexy... He knew there were more very positive words to describe her, but he couldn't think of any.

"Hey," he softly said as he approached his girlfriend.

"Hey," Courtney softly said, reaching forward and grabbing his hands.

"You ready for tonight?" he quietly asked, lightly swinging their hands.

She nodded, smiling. "I am."

He smiled. "Good." He looked at his Mom and said, "We're off."

"Oh, you two have fun," Mrs. Evans said, smiling an extremely giddy smile.

The two teens said their good-bye's as they walked out of Duncan's house. Once the door was shut and they were on the front porch, Duncan immediately grabbed the back of her head and pulled Courtney into a passionate kiss. She let out a moan, placing one hand on his chest and the other on his jaw. She wasn't expecting him to do that, but it sure did feel great.

"What was that for?" she softly asked.

"You look so amazing tonight," he softly said, running a hand through her hair.

She grinned. "You look really handsome yourself." He grinned and leaned forward, kissing her forehead. He grabbed her hand and began leading her to his car. After settling in, she asked, "So where are we going?"

He grinned even more. He waited until he drove away from his house before saying, "It's a surprise, babe."

She rolled her eyes, but a smile still remained on her face. "I see," she said. "Am I dressed appropriately? And don't even think about saying '_For now_...'."

He chuckled. "One, I wasn't thinking that, and two, yes. You're dressed perfectly."

"That's good."

He nodded. "So, how was your birthday?"

"Well, it hasn't ended yet..."

"Someone's especially witty today..." he muttered, smirking.

She giggled. "It's been good. I spent almost the entire day with my parents. I'm sure it'll be even better now that I'm spending the night with you..."

"Hopin' to score a bit, eh?"

She giggled. "Maybe," she teasingly said.

"Well, I've got a bunch of family at the house, and my little cousin's been known to barge into my room at times, so if we do anything, it'll have to be a quickie or something, like, in the car or at some hotel around here..."

"I was kind of joking around," she muttered. "But if you're serious..."

He paused, focusing on the road ahead of him. He finally said, "We can decide later."

She nodded. She turned in the seat so she could face Duncan. "Thank you for taking me out tonight," she softly said.

Since he was stopped at a red light, he turned to her and smiled. "You're welcome," he said. "Plus, we've got two things to celebrate tonight - your journey into adulthood, and my graduation..."

She giggled, rolling her eyes. She let out a yawn and shut her eyes for a few moments.

"Are you that tired?" he asked.

She nodded, keeping her eyes shut. "A little bit..."

"Do I have to pull over and wake you up a bit?"

"No, no, I'm hungry..."

"Maybe this will do the trick..." While keeping his eyes on the road, he reached over and started stroking her thighs. As his light stroke reached higher and higher, she started to turn away. She opened her eyes and had to bit her lip to keep from making any noises. "What?" he whined, keeping his hand on her leg.

"Just pay attention to the road," she said.

He raised an eyebrow at her, for she had this giddy smile on her face. "What?"

"If I had let you reach any higher, you would've pulled over."

He paused for a moment, his fingers tapping against her bare leg. Suddenly his eyes widened. "No way."

She rolled her eyes and crossed her legs. "'_No way_' what?"

"Are you seriously not wearing any underwear?"

She shrugged, a coy smile plastered across her face. "Maybe, maybe not."

Once they stopped at another red light, his hand shot to her waist. He couldn't reach under her dress, so instead he felt the outside of her dress. "Oh, you tease," he muttered once he found the outline of her underwear.

"Of course I'm wearing underwear," she muttered.

"Makin' me not pay attention to the road..."

"You felt me up when we were at a red light!"

"Leadin' me on..."

"You weren't touching the right place, sweetheart... Oh, my God, we're going here?"

"Mmhmm..." he said, smirking lightly. "I wasn't touching the right place?"

"Nope," she said, grinning at him. "You didn't get the picture I sent you last week, did you?"

He slowly shook his head. "No... Why?"

She bent down and picked up her handbag. She grabbed her cell phone out of the bag and began browsing through it. She turned the phone towards him once she found the right picture.

He scanned the picture and gasped. His eyes grew wide. His surprised reaction turned into a devious, naughty smirk. "The Princess has got a new piercing..."

"Yep."

"I want to see..."

"You're looking at the picture."

"No, lift up your dress."

"No!"

"Please?"

She let out a sigh and turned around. Once she was absolutely sure no one was around, she took off her seat belt. She then proceeded to pull up her dress past her underwear and up to her waist. There, on her belly button, was a ring. It wasn't too fancy - just a normal, barbel ring - but it still entranced Duncan nonetheless.

"Holy shit," he breathed. He reached over and touched the ring. He also gave it a light tug, causing her to make a noise that was a mixture between a moan and a whimper.

She wore a grimace as she muttered, "_Don't_ pull on it..."

"Get it done at a cheap place?" he asked, frowning slightly.

"No!" she snapped. "But, uhh... You know my belly button is a sensitive spot for me..."

He grinned. "Aah, yes, I remember now..."

"Oh, hush," she darkly muttered, narrowing her eyes at him. She pulled down her dress and asked, "So we're eating here, huh?"

"Yep," he said, getting out of his car.

"This is really, really expensive..." she muttered, also stepping out of his car.

"And?"

"I..."

"Don't worry about it." He gave her a small, genuine smile. "It's your birthday." She let out a sigh, frowning slightly. He was at her side before she could say anything. He wrapped his arm around her and persistently said, "Don't worry about. Whatever you were thinking about... Throw it away. Or we can talk about it at the table. We're right on time for the reservation."

"You...made a reservation?" she softly asked, looking at him.

He nodded. "I sure did." He opened the door and waited until she walked in before quickly walking to her side.

"Hello," the hostess said.

"Hello," the two of them said. Duncan then said, "I have a reservation for two under Evans..."

"Aah, yes, here you are," the hostess said. "Follow me right this way."

The two followed the hostess to the back of the room. They held hands with each other, staying close to each others side. They sat down at a small table across from one another in the back of the room.

"This is beautiful," Courtney quietly marveled, looking around the room in awe. Duncan smiled, opening the menu and looking through it.

"Hello, what can I get the two of you to drink?"

"I'll have an Amaro Averna," Duncan said. He pulled out his I.D. and showed it to the waiter.

"I'll have... um... I'll have a champagne cocktail," Courtney said, also pulling out her I.D. and showing it to the waiter.

"You're drinking tonight?" Duncan asked, a little surprised.

Courtney shrugged. "It's my eighteenth birthday. I'm of legal age now. Might as well have a drink or two. I hope you don't plan on drinking much..."

He shook his head, placing his menu on the table. "Nah. That's the only alcoholic drink I'm getting."

She nodded, still browsing through the menu. "What are you getting?"

"The '_Hamlet's Joy_'," he said.

She looked for that item on the menu. Once she found it, her eyes instantly widened. "Oh my..."

"Remember, you can get whatever you want..."

"Whatever I want, eh?"

He rolled his eyes, smirking. "Hah, hah. You know what I mean."

She nodded and said, "I think I'll get the lemon poached salmon... and a Caesar salad."

"Still cheaper than my food..." he said in a sing-song voice.

She glared at him. "I'm sorry, would you like me to get the thick New York sirloin?"

He reached over and grabbed her hand. "I'm just messing with you," he softly said. At the moment, their waiter came back over with their drinks. They then each ordered their food. Right before their waiter walked away, Duncan said to him, "Hey." The waiter bent down, and Duncan started whispering something to him.

Courtney stared at them curiously. What was Duncan saying to the waiter? After the waiter walked off, she immediately asked, "What did you say to him?"

"I didn't change your food," Duncan told her. "I... I wanted to do this later in the meal, but I think now is a good time to talk to you..."

_Oh, my God._

Courtney just sat in her seat. She didn't say anything. A small frown did appear on her face, though. Her insides starting turning at his words. He wanted to talk to her now instead of later?

Immediately noticing her now tense attitude, he quickly told her, "I'm not breaking up with you."

She let out a sigh, something she didn't realize she needed to do. She gave him a soft smile and said, "That's... That's good."

"What made you think that?" he asked, honestly confused.

She gave him a measly shrug and said, "It's just the way you said you wanted to talk to me now instead of later... I don't know..."

He reached back over and grabbed both of her hands. "I wouldn't dream of breaking up with you."

"I've had a couple of dreams where you broke up with me," she quietly said.

"I remember the last one," he said, smiling softly. "What was it... It was a couple of weeks ago, right?" When she nodded, he said, "I had a dream once where you broke up with me... I think that was a nightmare, though..."

She let out a small laugh. "Yeah, those dreams could be considered nightmares." She intertwined her fingers in his and said, "So, um... What did you want to talk about?"

He stared at her for at least a minute, his eyes inquisitive and thoughtful. "You know I love you, right?"

She nodded, a smile forming on her face. "Of course."

"I... I never thought I'd meet someone like you," he quietly began. He then pursed his lips and said, "Okay, scratch that... I never thought I'd _like_ someone like you, Courtney. Well, what I first thought you were. Uptight, prissy, insane... But then I got to know you. You loosened up, and despite what people say about me changing you, you... you opened up. Then we left the show, and... I realized there was that something about you. That's why I found you on Facebook. Of course, I got to know a little more about you during our last week together on the show. But I learned more about you on Facebook in between the two shows..."

She couldn't help but smile as he spoke. She knew what he was saying was genuine and honest. He spoke in such a quiet, calm manner, something she rarely saw him do. She kept their fingers intertwined, never wanting to let go.

"Of course, the second season happened..." He let out a sigh. His thumbs ran over her hands. He hated thinking about all the crap they went through during that time. Even she wasn't liking what was about to come up, and she didn't know what he was going to say. He continued, "I was shocked to see you return. Did I know anything about that lawsuit? Nope. I... Our playful banter picked up right where it left off, but I think it got serious after a while. It really was war for a few days there. Then we tried to keep that relationship going... We tried communicating, but I think we got lost in trying to think of our own ways to make the relationship perfect. You wanted all these different things, and I..." He shrugged. "I did what you wanted. I didn't want to break up with you. After a few days, I snapped. I didn't care anymore. I thought you were too thick-headed to even see things my way..."

Courtney wasn't even looking at him at this point. She was staring down at their hands. She was gripping his a lot more than she was before. Thankfully, she was keeping her breathing steady, but she knew she could break down at any point. He knew she hated how she acted at that time. She wasn't sure why he was bringing all of this up, but knew there had to be a reason, so she kept silent.

"That's why I voted you off. I wasn't sure what to think at that point. I needed some time to think about us without you being there, trying to make us into this perfect couple. Then I won, and we kissed... a lot..." He chuckled, shaking his head. "But I knew things weren't magically better because of our make-out and you deeming me a 'King' or whatever... Then you left me that note." He paused for another few moments, once again gathering his thoughts. "I knew there was no reason why I couldn't give you, or us, another chance. I've been given plenty of those, and I never really give any in return..." He shrugged.

"Then we really started going out. We basically started fresh. Yet again, I just wanted to be your boyfriend. It's like I told you, my longest relationship prior to this was a week long. A week. I had more flings, more one or two-night stands, than anything else. I had never been in love. This..." He pointed back and forth between the two of this. "This scares me at times. Sometimes I can't believe how lucky I am to have you as my girlfriend. We used to be complete opposites, but we found out we had a lot in common."

He took a deep breath in and let it out. He reached forward and tilted her chin up. Once their eyes locked, he said, "Promise me something, Courtney."

"Go on," she softly said.

"Promise me that... I hope that we can stay together forever, I really do." She could already feel the tears welling up in her eyes as he continued, "Promise me that you'll never change. Always stay true to yourself, okay? Even... even if we suddenly have to break up, you can't change for anyone else. You continue to be that smart, sexy, rebellious..." He tried to think of more words but shrugged as he said, "...awesome girl you are. Okay?"

She nodded, biting her lip. Tears were falling down her face and onto the table. "I... I promise," she choked out

He smiled, nodding. He brought her hands up to his mouth and gave them a kiss.

"I love you, Duncan," she choked out, the tears still falling down her face. "I really, really, really do. I mean it."

"I know," he softly said, giving her hands another kiss. "I love you, too. Now..." He placed her hands on the table and left his on top of hers as he said, "Close your eyes, okay?"

She quickly nodded. She shut her eyes and let out a few deep breaths.

He patted her hands and reached into his back pocket. In there was a small velvet case. He took a deep breath and held it in his palm in the middle of the table. "Okay," he finally said.

She slowly opened her eyes. Once her eyes landed on his palm, she gasped and covered her mouth. She knew more tears had begun falling down her face. This so wasn't a break-up - _it was a proposal!_

"I'm not proposing to you."

She blinked, staring between him and the velvet case. "Are those earrings?" she softly asked, slowly uncovering her mouth. He shook his head, chuckling softly. He then proceeded to open the case, causing her to gasp once more. "I-I thought you said you weren't proposing!" she softly exclaimed, her eyes wide once more.

"It's a promise ring," he stated.

She slowly nodded. It was a beautiful ring. In the middle was a heart with a tip shooting through the middle of it, all encrusted in diamonds. "It's beautiful," she whispered.

"Well, it's yours," he said, smiling. He took the ring out of the box and held it on it's edges and out to her. She nodded eagerly and held out her left hand. He slipped the ring onto her finger, smiling broadly.

She immediately brought her hand to her face, examining the ring closely. She then pursed her lips and held up her right hand closer to her face. She then switched the hand the ring was on, switching it from the left to the right. "This isn't an engagement ring, and we don't need people thinking we're engaged," she softly explained.

He nodded. "You like it?"

"I love it!"

He chuckled, still smiling broadly. "I'm glad you like it."

She beamed at him. "I'm glad you gave it to me." She then patted the table and started to stand up. "Get up."

He nodded and stood up. She practically trampled him as she leaned forward. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a big hug. She held him close to her, her head resting against his. He smiled, his arms wrapped around her waist. Without her heels, his hands just rested on her waist. Now, he could wrap his arms around her, creating an even more intimate hug for the two of them.

"I want you to do something for me..." Courtney whispered, stroking his head, running her fingers through his hair.

"Yeah?"

"I want you to promise me the same thing," she softly said.

He smiled and kissed the side of her head once more. "I promise."

* * *

"You know your eyes are especially brown tonight," Duncan softly said, noting the black eyeshadow and eyeliner that his girlfriend wore.

Courtney smiled, snuggling closer to Duncan. "It's just the make-up," she said.

The two of them were sitting on hiss back porch. On the porch was a swing, which they were currently sitting on. Her heels were on the ground, and her legs were pulled up beside her. He was just sitting beside her on the swing, his legs hanging down, his feet pushing the swing from time to time. When they got back to his house, he noticed that everyone was sitting in the front room. He figured they were either waiting for him, or they all happened to be sitting in there. The two of them quietly made their way towards the back, where they had been for about half an hour. The two of them spoke in whisper-like voices, both not wanting his family to come out, and they were just speaking that way.

"You did a really good job," he said.

"It got all smeared at dinner, though," she said, looking up at him and smiling.

He smiled and leaned down and softly kissed her. "You look fine now."

She continued to smile as she shrugged. She then rested her head once more on his shoulder.

"So, why did you get your belly button pierced?"

She let out a set of giggles. "You'll laugh when I tell you this."

He raised an eyebrow, amused. "Oh, really now?"

She nodded. She sat up and looked at him. "I like your piercings."

He slowly nodded, an amused smile slowly getting bigger. "Yeah?"

"Yep. But, I don't want a nose or an eyebrow ring, or any other piercings in my ear-"

"You have pierced ears?"

She nodded. "It's just one hole in each ear, and I rarely wear earrings."

He nodded. "So you decided to just get it? When?"

"Four weeks ago."

"Right after my prom, huh?"

She nodded. "Yep. I had my friend come with me. I thought I had to be eighteen to get it, but at this place, it was seventeen..."

"What friend?"

"Amber. She turned eighteen last month."

Duncan nodded. "Have you changed it yet?"

She shook her head. "I didn't realize it would take three or more months to heal."

He nodded. "Yeah... Over half a year is more common, I think."

Courtney was about to question his reasoning when she remembered all the piercings he had. "That's right, you're the piercing guru..."

He chuckled. "No, no," he muttered. "I know lots of girls who got their belly button's pierced. Most complained and complained because it hurt so much..." He rolled his eyes.

She rolled her eyes, continuing to smile. "I actually need to get inside," she muttered. "I just realized I should have cleaned it off as soon as you touched it."

"Sorry," he muttered, sheepishly grinning. "You know I can't keep my hands off of you."

She smiled and stood up. She bent down and grabbed her heels. He stood up beside her and grabbed her hand. They began walking over to the door. Suddenly, the door was thrown open and his Mom jumped out onto the front porch. She turned towards them, her gun aiming right at them. Courtney turned her head away in fear, her eyes tightly shut. Duncan just stared at his Mom, almost glaring.

"_Really_." It wasn't even a question, he just stated that to his Mom.

Suddenly a shot was heard. It came from inside the house and was shot at nothing towards the backyard. Courtney flinched even more. Duncan screamed, "_KNOCK IT OFF, DAD!_"

"Oh, sorry, sweetie," his Mom said, sheepishly smiling at the teenagers. "Brian said he heard noises out here and thought he saw burglars... Oh, that child..."

Duncan rolled his eyes, an angry look still on his face. "Thanks for scaring Courtney."

"Oh, knock off the tough act," his Mom snapped after seeing his unchanging angry face. She stepped forward and gently rubbed Courtney's arm. "Are you alright, dear?"

Courtney nodded, feebly smiling at the older woman. "Yeah," she muttered.

"Why didn't you come in through the front door?" Mr. Evans asked, stepping onto the front porch.

"We just wanted some alone time," Duncan stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "Next time, I'll make sure to pop my head in before going out back so we don't get our heads blown off."

"_Duncan_!" his Mom snapped.


	16. His Graduation

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

**A/N: Thank you all for the reviews! And I mentioned something in chapter four (I think) of "Best of the Rest" which no one seemed to pick up on, surprisingly enough... Well, it's explained here! I hope you all enjoy this, and please continue to review!**

"Come on... Wake up..."

Courtney stirred as she slowly woke up. True, Duncan's voice did wake her up, but the trail of kisses he left around her neck woke her up even more. She groaned, turning and burying her face into her pillow. "_Stop_..." she moaned.

"Never heard that one come out of your mouth before..." he whispered in her ear.

Without looking, she reached over and smacked him. Thankfully, she softly hit his chest. "What if you cousin comes back in here?" she muttered, looking over at him.

He laid there for a few moments in silence. "He really came in here last night, didn't he?"

Courtney nodded. She sat up, propped her arm on the pillow, and laid her head on her hand. "Yeah. I had just got done putting my clothes back on. You were all like, '_Oh, nothing will happen_', and..." She let out a yawn before continuing, "...bam, your cousins scrambles in."

He let out a few chuckles. "Oh, yes, now I remember. I made him close his eyes so I could throw on some pants. When did he get out of here?"

Courtney shrugged. "I think it was a few hours ago. I vaguely remember him moving around around the time the sun started to rise."

"That little shit," he muttered. He let out a dramatic sigh and continued, "He barged in before our after-sex smoochin'..."

She rolled her eyes. "And the cuddling..."

"I don't cuddle."

She pursed her lips, trying to think of a better term. "Okay... How about caressing?"

He nodded. "I'll take that." Suddenly, multiple bangs on the door were heard. The two teens started at each other, one shocked and the other annoyed. He quickly and quietly told her, "Get under the covers." The two quickly pulled the covers over their heads. He pulled her close to him as the door opened. "Just pretend you're asleep," he slowly said, his voice quieter than whisper.

She nodded, shutting her eyes and relaxing against him. Truthfully, she was extremely tired and wanted to fall back asleep, anyway. She smiled as she felt his head snuggle against his. She knowingly smirked, loving the fact that he denied cuddling.

Suddenly, the room to Duncan's door opened. Duncan and Courtney stayed still and quiet as they heard some footsteps enter the room. Duncan frowned. He figured it was his eight-year-old cousin that was banging on the door, but who else was with him? He couldn't help but let out a groan as his little cousin began jumping on his bed. "Jimmy, stop," he muttered, still underneath the cover.

"You're awake!" the child cried in excitement. "You're gonna miss breakfast, Dunc!"

He frowned as he heard other voices laugh quietly. So there was more than one person with him... He let out a sigh and sat up, emerging from underneath the covers. He then saw who walked in with Jimmy - Brian and Michelle. "Really, guys?"

"We didn't tell him to do this," Michelle explained. "He was already coming up here, so we just followed him."

"You know he slept in here for a few hours last night, right?"

"Did he now?" Michelle asked, amused.

"Did he interrupt anything?" Brian asked, a shocked expression on his face.

"No," Duncan said, shaking his head.

"Where is Courtney?" Michelle asked.

Duncan pointed beside him. He was surprised she didn't get up when he did. Maybe she actually did fall back asleep. "Right here." He looked at Jimmy and asked, "Now why did you want to wake me up?"

"Breakfast is ready!" the child exclaimed.

"What's for breakfast?" Duncan asked.

"Eggs, ham, bacon, sausage, waffles, pancakes... uhh... Lots of stuff!"

"Are we having a buffet or something?" Duncan asked, amused with everything that was listed.

"Your Mom insisted on cooking whatever everybody wanted," Michelle explained.

"Dude, get up before I jump on you," Brian said.

Duncan stared at his cousin. "You wouldn't."

"You asked for it..." Brian walked over to Duncan's bed and literally fell on his cousin.

"GET OFF!" Duncan exclaimed, trying to push his cousin off of him.

"_Shut up_!" Courtney exclaimed from underneath the covers.

"I would if this dumbass would just get up!"

"Duncan!" Michelle exclaimed before pointing at Jimmy.

Both cousins stopped horsing around. Duncan looked at Jimmy and said, "You didn't hear me say that."

"It's okay," Jimmy said, shrugging. "I've heard it before."

Duncan blinked a couple of times before saying, "Don't go saying that, okay?"

"Only if you come downstairs..." Jimmy persuaded.

Michelle, Brian, and even Courtney laughed. Duncan rolled his eyes, though his face was clearly amused. "Okay, okay," he muttered. "Go downstairs and tell everyone I'll be there in a minute. And bring Brian and Michelle with you."

"Okay!" Jimmy excitedly said. "C'mon, Brian!" He grabbed the teenager's hand before walking over to Michelle. "C'mon, Michelle!"

Duncan chuckled as he watched them leave his room. He let out a sigh before leaning over, resting on Courtney.

"_Get off!_" she cried from under the covers.

"Did you fall back asleep?"

"For a couple of minutes, yes."

"Well, time to really get up..." he quietly said. Despite the covers being wrapped around her, he slowly stroked her sides.

She let out a squeal before muttering, "Stop..."

"Get out from under the covers, or I'll have to join you..."

"_No_..." she moaned, trying to cover herself more with the covers.

Unfortunately, Duncan was able to lift some of the covers from above her and got under the covers next to her. Courtney was giggling, smiling happily at him. She said to him, "Good morning."

"Oh, this is a _great_ morning..."

She giggled once more and leaned forward, giving him a kiss. They continued kissing each other before she pulled back. She smirked at the pout he gave her. "We need to be heading downstairs before your little cousin comes back up here."

He shrugged. "I like being here with you."

She beamed at him. "And I love being here with you, but I need to use the bathroom and change and clean my belly button..."

"Are you going to change your piercing tonight?"

She shook her head. "I'm waiting six weeks before I even think about asking."

He nodded. He then threw the covers off of them before slowly getting up. He felt the bed shift and turned, watching her get up and off the bed. He smirked as she threw her shirt off. "Are you trying to turn me on this morning?" he asked.

She shrugged, going through her bag. "Is it working?"

He chuckled, standing up. "Always."

She laughed, grabbing her clothes and a small bag. She walked into the bathroom and, despite Duncan being in his room, kept the door opened as she changed.

"What if I want to change in privacy?" he questioned, walking over to the doorway and leaning against it.

She finished putting on her pants and turned around, shrugging. "You can shut the door yourself."

"Are you going to put a shirt on?"

"Once I get done cleaning my belly button... I don't like wearing a shirt while doing that."

"Maybe being topless would be easier..." he murmured, reaching forward and letting one of the straps fall.

She was looking down, cleaning her piercing, but she smiled. "Oh, Duncan," she muttered, shaking her head. "You already got to bang me today..."

"And yesterday..." he murmured, winking.

She rolled her eyes, but a blush quickly covered her cheeks. When she was done, she looked up at him. "I'm hungry," she said.

"Well, I've got a nice, long lollipop you can lick..."

Courtney gaped at her boyfriend. Whether he was truly horny or not, she didn't know. She was still a bit shocked, regardless. "Duncan!"

"Oh, put on a shirt and we'll go downstairs," Duncan said, winking at her.

She rolled her eyes and tossed on a tank top before following her boyfriend downstairs.

"Took you long enough," Brian said as they arrived downstairs. "What, did you two do it or something?"

"_Brian_!" Sally snapped.

"Sorry," Brian murmured.

"Totally." Duncan winked at his cousin.

"Duncan..." Sally warned. "Don't let your Mom hear you talk like that."

"I've said worse in front of her," Duncan said to his Aunt.

Sally shook her head, smirking. "I bet you have, young man... Or, should I say, Mister Adult."

Duncan groaned. "I haven't graduated yet..."

"Oh, darling, you're graduating tonight, and you've already turned 18," Sally said. "I think that's reason enough to call you an adult..."

"Where's Courtney?" Brian asked.

Duncan turned his head and saw that his girlfriend wasn't standing beside her anymore. "I dunno..." he murmured. He walked through the house and looked into the kitchen. A soft smile emerged on his lips as he saw his Mom and girlfriend sitting at the kitchen table. He walked into the doorway and leaned against it. "Mornin', Ma."

His Mom instantly stood up and quickly made her way over to him. She wrapped her arms tightly around him and didn't say anything. He wrapped his arms around her, resting his head on her shoulder. He knew she was getting emotional about him graduating. While she was always confident that he would succeed in life, despite his past experiences, even had a few doubts about him in high school. She knew how bored he got, how easy a lot of it was for him. He went through a few moments where he seriously felt like dropping out. He was never in danger of failing, he just hated being there. A lot of it was just too easy for him.

"God, sweetie," she murmured. "I don't know what to say..."

"Maybe something like, '_What would you like for breakfast_?'" he teased.

Suzie laughed. "Oh, goodness. Another serious moment ruined by you..."

He smirked, letting out a small chuckle. "So... What were you and Courtney talking about?"

"Well, she showed me her belly button ring..."

"Willingly?"

"I saw the outline through her shirt, and I asked if I could see it..."

"Nosy..."

Suzie laughed. She gave her son one final squeeze before letting go of him. "Now, would what you like for breakfast?"

He shrugged. "Surprise me."

* * *

"Honey, you look so beautiful tonight."

Courtney blushed at another comment made by Mrs. Evans. She softly said, "Thank you."

"Where did you get your dress?"

Courtney was wearing a black mini-dress. It had long three-quarter length sleeves. The dress was a V-neck that knotted in the front. She hesitated before answering, "Victoria's Secret..."

"They do have nice things there," Mrs. Evans said.

"Do either of Duncan's brothers go to Duncan's school?" Courtney asked.

The two of them were sitting in a local college gymnasium, waiting for the graduation to begin. All of Duncan's family was there, and many were conversing with each other. Mrs. Evans had decided to sit next to Courtney. Courtney had never thought about Duncan's school name before, and was surprised to find out he attended Hill Park.

"Danny does," Suzie informed the younger girl. "Dylan did not. He went to Ancaster." Courtney nodded, recognizing the school's name. "What school do you attend?"

"Bayview," Courtney said.

Mrs. Evans nodded, impressed. "That's a very prestigious school... Oh! When is your graduation? I keep forgetting to write it down..."

"On Wednesday," Courtney said.

Mrs. Evans nodded. "Okay, good. I already have the night off." She smiled at the young girl and said, "I'm so excited! My baby and his baby, both graduating in the same week..."

Courtney let out a few giggles. "I... I don't think I'm his '_baby_'..."

"Oh, I know," Mrs. Evans said, patting the girl's knee. "You're his '_Princess_'."

Courtney blushed. "Yep," she quietly said.

"You have nothing to be ashamed about," Mrs. Evans softly said.

"I'm not ashamed," Courtney said, looking up at the older woman.

"Maybe '_ashamed_' wasn't the right word..." Suzie paused for a few moments. "Maybe '_embarrassed_'?"

A small smile formed on Courtney's face. "I didn't like the name at first," she softly said. "I... I don't know, I really like it now. It's just funny to think about."

Mrs. Evans smiled. She patted the young girl's back and was going to say something, but the lights dimmed. Courtney had been to a few graduation's herself and figured that this would be a pretty boring process. What surprised her was that this wasn't as boring as she though it would be. True, there were speeches by the Principal, both Vice Principal's, and some other people, but there were performances by some band and orchestra members, the choir, and even some dramatic pieces were displayed.

Then came time for the two big speeches, by the Valedictorian and the Salutatorian. In the program, both were listed as "TBA" - To Be Announced. It was different from her school, at least, where she was already listed as Valedictorian.

The Principal walked back onto the stage. "Now it's time for the Salutatorian speech..." The graduating students started to cheer loudly, causing the Principal to laugh. "This person... During his first year here, I didn't know what to expect out of him. Now he's here, about to give you a speech... Hopefully he'll follow the guidelines about which words to use and not to use..." Everyone laughed. "I'll let him introduce himself."

Courtney furrowed her eyebrows. That definitely sparked her attention. Who was this person going to be? And why did it sound like a certain boyfriend of hers? As the graduating class started to hoot and holler and the audience began to applaud, she couldn't help but do the cliche thing and cover her mouth with her hand after gasping. Her boyfriend was the Salutatorian! She couldn't believe it!

"Hello, hello..." Duncan murmured, rolling his eyes. He pointed at his classmates and said, "You all can stop now. That was wonderful. A little bit too much cheering, but..." He shrugged, smirking when everyone laughed. "Now, while I had some of a speech planned, I didn't really finish it... Due to some grade errors, I didn't find out I was 'Mister Salutatorian' until today, so I'll be winging some of this speech." He shrugged.

Courtney rolled her eyes. She wasn't surprised he didn't finish a speech.

"Now, I'm sure some of you didn't expect me to be standing up here right now. I didn't even expect to be standing up here right now. A lot of you know about my former problems with the law... Oh, some of you are acting a little too surprised. It's like you all didn't watch that show I was on..." He grimaced slightly, causing everyone to laugh again. "Yeah, that show. It sucked. I'm sure you all loved to watch it each and every week for two summers... The best thing that came out of that? I met my girlfriend." His eyes got wide and he shook his head when everyone began to '_aww_'. "Oh, no, I made that sound so romantic and cheesy... I may say some more cheesy things, but that will be the only romantic thing coming out of my mouth. Hopefully.

"Anyways... Wow, this is going to sound very out-of-order, but... Congratulations, fellow graduates! We're finally getting out of this hellhole!"

While the graduates and some other attendees laughed, Courtney couldn't help but mutter, "Oh, my God..."

Duncan pursed his lips. "Woah, that was harsh. Totally didn't mean that... Kinda. Nah, I did, but what I meant was 'We're finally graduating!' Yeah. This year was crazy, huh? So many things happened... To all of us, really. Things will only get crazier from here, probably. We all have to grow up and move away from home, much to our parents dismay... Well, we don't have to move away, like, tomorrow. Nah. Eventually we'll have to, for fear of looking like huge moochers...

"Soon, a lot of us will be heading to University. Weird, huh? I still remember a lot of us playing kickball back in, like, third grade... Eh, separation is good, so maybe this isn't a weird thing." He shrugged and received a few more laughs. "But, seriously, a lot of us have gone to school together forever. We've seen each other grow up and become the people we are today... Some good, some not-so-good..." He pointed at himself, a smug look on his face.

"This is becoming something that's all over the place, but that's pretty much how I've been." He shrugged. "As I'm sure you can tell, this isn't really a very 'profound' speech. Nah, I'll leave that to my Valedictorian girlfriend... Oh, no." He laughed before continuing, "Amanda, the Valedictorian at this school, isn't my girlfriend. You're cool and all, but... No." He chuckled once more before saying, "My girlfriend is the Valedictorian at her school. She's super smart, super profound... Super lots of other stuff, too."

Courtney smiled, a blush emerging on her cheeks. She didn't expect Duncan to bring her up again, or even compliment her again.

Duncan chuckled again, shaking his head. "Man, I still can't believe it... We're all graduating. We've spent all this time together, even if we spent a lot of time complaining about how much homework we had." He longingly looked at his classmates, his friends. "Some of us have grown closer... Some of us spent a nice night or two together..."

Courtney gaped at what he said. It was like he was saying a bunch of them had one-night stands together! She didn't even dare look at Duncan's family. She didn't know what they were thinking about his speech.

"Some of us have drifted apart..." He sighed, shrugging. "And it sucks. One moment, you're best friends with someone, and the next, you see them at the mall with their new best friend after they ditched you because they weren't 'feeling well'." He paused for a few moments. "But that was in the past. These bad things only help us prepare for the future, and help us become who we are today.

"So, I'll go ahead and wrap up this speech. Even if we seemingly hated high school, we actually liked it. We had some of the best experiences of our life during these years, and we've also had some of the worst. And, hate to say this, because I'm sure some of you want to forget about me, but we'll always remember each other. Um..." He shrugged. "Let's hope for the best, and for all of us to make it to our fifteenth reunion." He chuckled. "Thanks."

Courtney couldn't help but beam when her boyfriend finished his speech. Yes, it showed how much of a scatterbrain he was. Yes, it was far from being profound. But, it showed the real him, the one that was always surprising people. She so desperately wanted to run over to him and just hug him until he forced her off of him, but she knew she wouldn't be able to do that until after the ceremony was over.

Thankfully, after the Valedictorian gave her speech, the graduates were called to the stage to receive their diplomas. Duncan's Mom was crying by that point, continuously muttering either "My little boy is growing up..." or "I'm so proud of my sweetie..." They had to wait a few minutes before Duncan's name was called, but once it was, his whole family started cheering. Duncan looked a little embarrassed by such a display, but he laughed nonetheless. Courtney thought everyone would still be cheering, and didn't realize they had all quieted down when she literally screamed, "I LOVE YOU, DUNCAN!"

Duncan slowly turned around. She knew he recognized her voice. She waved at him. He looked surprised when he finally found her, but he waved back. She sheepishly smiled as he walked off the stage.

Finally, the graduates were able to leave the arena. Duncan's family had already started to get up so they could meet him outside. Courtney remained in there for a few moments. She figured he would want some alone time with his family before spending time with other people. She turned to look around and surprisingly saw that Michelle and Brian were walking towards her. "Hey there," she said, smiling at them.

"Hey yourself," Brian said, grinning at her. He plopped down in the seat beside her before asking, "So what'd you think about your boyfriend's speech?"

Courtney shrugged, an ecstatic smile returning to her face. "It was pretty remarkable."

Brian laughed. "You would think that. He definitely should have at least outlined a speech..."

Courtney just stared at him. "I haven't known him nearly as long as you have and I even know that he wouldn't have done that."

Michelle laughed. "I have to agree with Courtney there."

Brian rolled his eyes. "Whatever. So, are you coming with us?"

"Where?" Courtney asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Where are we going first?" Brian quietly asked Michelle.

"Well, first, Duncan's family invited us to eat at Mandarin Buffet after this," Michelle explained. "And then Duncan said some people are throwing this huge party, and he invited us to go with him after dinner."

Courtney nodded. "I knew about dinner, but not the party."

"So... You coming?" Brian asked.

Courtney nodded, smiling. "Definitely."

Michelle smiled and said, "Awesome. Well, let's go find Duncan."

The three of them stood up and proceeded downstairs and outside. They immediately recognized Duncan's family, but since they didn't see Duncan with them, they steered away from the large family. As they were looking for the graduate, Brian got summoned by his Mom, and Michelle had to take a phone call, so Courtney was left alone looking for her boyfriend.

She stiffened when a pair of arms wrapped around her waist from behind. After a couple of seconds, she recognized the touch and leaned into it.

"So..." Duncan said, kissing her temple. "Did you enjoy my graduation?"

Courtney turned around. She rested both hands on his jaw and stared into his eyes. They stood there, smiling at each other, before she quickly filled the gap. Her kiss was filled with such love and passion that it almost took him by surprise. She broke the kiss, but kept her lips close to his. "I love you," she whispered, staring him deep in the eyes. "I love you _so_ much. And I am _so_ proud of you."

He smiled, leaning forward and giving her nose a kiss. "Thank you," he whispered, resting his hands on the side of her head.

"Why didn't you tell me you were Salutatorian?" she softly asked, one hand slowly moving down to his shoulder.

He smirked at her. "Why would I tell you that?" She slightly narrowed her eyes at him. Before she could say anything, he placed a finger to her lips. "I figured I would surprise you."

"Well..." She coyly smiled at him. "I was very surprised. Your speech wasn't half-bad, either."

"I would hope it wasn't bad at all," he teased.

She giggled. "It was wonderful. It was amazing. It was remarkable."

"But...?"

"But it was very much all over the place."

He nodded. "I know." He shrugged, now resting his hands on her shoulder. "I didn't expect this, though. Yes, I knew I had really good grades, but I thought a couple of other people had higher averages than I did."

She nodded, now resting her hands on top of his. "Even if you weren't Salutatorian, I'd still be so very proud of you."

"I know," he softly said, leaning forward and resting his forehead against hers. "And that's why I love you. You're always saying how proud you are..."

"Because I am," she persistently said, cupping his face in her hands. "I am so proud of you. You are so amazing and wonderful and you never cease to surprise me... And, if we ever have children, we can tell them how we were at the top of our class-"

"Whoa, whoa," Duncan interrupted, a shocked look on his face. "'_If we ever have children_'? You...?"

"_No_, I don't want any," Courtney snapped, glaring at him slightly. "I... It was just a heat-of-the-moment thought, that's all."

He let out a chuckle, leaning forward and giving her a quick kiss on the lips. "I figured as much," he softly said. "I just wanted to make sure, y'know?"

She nodded, patting his upper chest. "Yeah," she softly responded.

"So... What was that little outburst when I walked across the stage?"

She giggled. "What? I can't proclaim my love for you in front of thousands of people?"

He shrugged. "If that's what you want..."

"It was."

They stared at each other for a few moments before connecting their lips once more. They just felt the need to be close in that way, with their lips connected and their bodies slightly touching. Unfortunately, they couldn't be invisible, and pretty soon, his family and friends found them.

"Well, well, look who we finally found..."

Duncan sighed, breaking the kiss. His cousin was always finding ways to annoy him. Of course, some of his family was there, too. If it was just Brian, then he would've continued kissing Courtney like nobody was there. He couldn't continue making out with his girlfriend when a lot of his family, including his parents, were standing there. At this point, he just wanted to stand there and hold Courtney close to him. He knew they'd get the chance to later, and that's why he was almost willing to let go of her.

"Are you ready to head out?" his Mom asked, walking over to the couple.

Duncan nodded. "I'm so ready for some Chinese food."

"Well, good," his Mom said, smiling. "Do you mind driving Michelle and Brian to the place?"

"What about Court?" Duncan questioned.

"I figured you were already driving her," his Mom teasingly said.

Duncan smiled, wrapping his arm around Courtney's shoulder and bringing her close to him. "Race ya there."

His Mom winked at him before saying, "You're on."


	17. Her Graduation

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews! Please don't hesitate the review. The more, the merrier! This chapter was so-so... I really wanted to write about Courtney's graduation, so here it is! And, while I wanted to update "Best of the Rest" first, this chapter just came to me quicker. That story will be updated soon, though! And I've got some major surprises to be unveiled in the next chapter of this story. Enjoy! **_  
_

"Ma, we're gonna be late..."

"_Hush_!" Mrs. Evans drove slowly through the parking lot, hoping to find a parking spot. They were currently driving through a parking lot at the University of Toronto, where Courtney's graduation was to be held.

Duncan looked at the clock once more and sighed. Her graduation was to start in twenty-five minutes, and he wanted to get there early enough to get a seat and see her before she had to get with her graduating class.

"Found one!" his Mom exclaimed, quickly turning into a spot.

"Good job," he muttered, getting out of the car as soon as she stopped.

"_DUNCAN_!"

"What?" he snapped, peering into the car.

"Wait for me," she said.

He let out a sigh and shut the door before leaning against the car. That tone meant she was not to be messed with. He walked beside her once she got out of the car.

"We're well over twenty minutes early," she said, reaching over and rubbing his back.

He shoved his hands into his pants and muttered, "I wish we were earlier..."

"Blame traffic, sweetie. I don't understand the point of having a graduation at six-thirty..."

"I'm pretty sure almost everyone here lives in Toronto, so of course they know to leave early enough..."

"Well, at least we're here before it starts," his Mom said, continuing to rub his back. "So... Are you excited?"

Duncan shrugged. "Kinda? I mean... Yeah, sure."

His Mom looked at him, studying his face carefully. She let his answer go, not worrying about it too much. "Do you and Courtney have any plans for the summer?"

"I'm... I'm not sure." He shrugged. "We want to do something, like head down to New York or Niagara Falls or something, but..."

She stared at her son carefully once more. "But...?"

He looked at his Ma carefully. "We, um... We kinda discussed moving in together."

His Mom stopped, causing him to stop. She stared at him, her eyes wide and her mouth open. "Are you serious?" she softly asked.

He slowly nodded, carefully looking at him Mom. "Yep..."

"When... When did you discuss this?"

He shrugged. "We first brought it up... sometime in March, I think. And we've been talking about it a bit for the past couple of weeks..." He sighed when his Mom engulfed him in a hug. "_Ma_..."

"I am so proud of you, sweetie."

"Thanks...?"

She pulled back and looked at him. "I'm serious," she softly said. "You and Courtney... Courtney is a wonderful young lady. I know you two care about each other so much."

He blushed and quietly said, "Yep..."

She rubbed his arm and said, "And I like that the two of you are together. You both seem to just... I don't know. There's that connection between the two of you that's so rare with couples your age."

Duncan slowly nodded. He then quietly said, "We should be heading in..."

His Mom laughed, patting his back. "You're right."

Together, they made their way to the hall where Courtney's class would be graduating. Duncan wasn't expecting to tell his Mom the news on that day, and he was now just thinking about that. Duncan had a feeling he would bump into somebody he would recognize there, so as they approached the building, he looked around. His mouth opened in shock as he saw a blond couple ten feet away from them. Geoff and Bridgette were there! He knew Bridgette would be there, because Courtney spent at least ten minutes talking about how excited she was. He didn't know Geoff would be there, though, and he was excited to see the eccentric party boy.

"_HEY_!" he exclaimed, hoping they would recognize his voice.

Geoff instantly turned, while Bridgette stared at her boyfriend curiously. Geoff finally saw Duncan, and they two instantly waved. "_DUDE_!" Geoff exclaimed, quickly walking over to his friend.

"Hey, man!" Duncan chuckled, high-fiving Geoff. He smiled at Bridgette and said, "Hey, Malibu."

"Hey, Duncan," Bridgette said, smiling.

"Have you two seen Court?" Duncan asked.

Geoff and Bridgette nodded. "She's... somewhere around here," Bridgette said, looking around slightly.

"I'm going to head inside," Duncan's Mom quietly said.

Duncan nodded at his Ma and said, "Cool." He turned to his friends and said, "So you two already said '_hello_' and stuff?"

Geoff nodded. "Yeah, bro. She was so stoked to see us."

"Did you tell her you were coming?" Duncan asked Geoff.

The blond man shook his head. "Nah. Only Bridge knew I'd be here. It was a surprise, really."

"Well, I am surprised," Duncan said, shrugging. He then spotted his girlfriend and smiled. "I'll meet you two inside. I gotta say hello to my gal real quick." He walked off, but stopped and sighed when her parents walked up to her. He wasn't too keen on approaching her while her parents were next to her. He shrugged and started walking forward again. He figured she would rather see him, anyway. He panicked for a second as the three of them started to walk away.

"COURT!" he exclaimed, immediately cursing himself for sounding desperate.

She immediately turned around, and as soon as their eyes locked, she grinned. She carefully, but quickly, ran down the stairs and ran even quicker once she hit the ground. She wrapped her arms around him as soon as she reached him, still smiling broadly.

He instantly wrapped his arms around her waist and swung her around, also smiling.

"You're here!" she cried out in happiness.

He immediately stopped, but kept his arms wrapped around her. "You thought I wouldn't show up?"

"_No_!" she immediately said, looking up at him. "You weren't here, so I thought you would be late and I wouldn't see you before all of this started..." She sighed and muttered, "I just needed the reassurance of you being here..."

He smirked, giving her sides a squeeze. "Thought so. Now..." He turned and grimaced. "Your folks looked pissed."

She shrugged, not bothering to look their way. "I've been with them all day. Same with the rest of my family, who are inside. It was nice to see Bridgette for a few minutes, and of course it was nice to see Geoff as well. But..." She shrugged, smiling slightly. A blush instantly emerged on her cheeks as she said, "It's nice to see you, too."

He chuckled and asked, "Missed me the past two days?"

"Kind of." She shrugged, removing his hands from her waist and holding onto them.

"So... I told Ma we were thinking about moving in together..."

Courtney looked a bit shocked. "Really? How did she react?"

"Shocked." He shrugged. "She likes us together, and seems all for the idea."

She slowly nodded, her eyes still wide. "I told my parents last night as well."

Duncan figured he looked more shocked than she did. He was certainly very shocked. "And how did they react?"

"They weren't happy at all. They were mostly upset they found out at the same time as the rest of the family, I think."

"You told your whole family?"

"Um... A lot of them, yes. I didn't mean to, though! It just... My Aunt asked what I would be doing this summer, and I brought you up. Then one of my cousin's asked if we were moving in together, and I said yes..."

He chuckled before quietly asking, "Do they know about the ring?"

"Only my Mom. I wouldn't be surprised if my Dad knows."

"How does your Mom know?"

"We were putting away some things and she was talking to me about us moving in together. She doesn't think it's a good idea. She kept going on and on and finally I told her that you wouldn't give me the ring if we weren't in a serious relationship. I showed her the ring, and she started freaking out. She thought we were getting married!"

He laughed, shaking his head. "We _so_ don't need to get married."

She giggled. "_I know_! I told her we're not, and she was still freaking out... I didn't give her any details, but I told her that the ring had more meaning in it than just a promise for our relationship."

He nodded, squeezing her hands. "Who cares what they say," he quietly said. "You've got a job, and I've kind of got one. I should have no problem finding one here. Plus, we want to live together. They should feel ashamed for getting in the way of your happiness."

She couldn't help but beam at him. "You're right," she softly said.

He shrugged, smirking. "I know." He took a glance at his watch and said, "It's about ten 'til. I gotta find Ma, and you should probably head inside..."

She nodded. She leaned up and passionately kissed him on the lips. "I love you."

He smiled down at her. "I love you, too. Can't wait to hear your profound speech, babe."

She coyly shrugged. "It was going to be pretty profound, but a certain Salutatorian's speech inspired me some..."

"Oh, really?"

She nodded. "Oh yeah." She gave his hands a squeeze before letting go of them. "See you later, sweetie."

He smiled. He hated that term of endearment, but her giving him pet names was something special, since she hardly did it. "Bye, babe." He watched her walk away before walking inside himself. He sighed once entering, for he realized the place had two floors. It took a few phone calls, but he finally found his Ma.

"Did you find Courtney?" Mrs. Evans asked after her son sat down.

Duncan nodded. "Yep."

"Did you see her parents?"

"I saw them from far away, but I didn't talk to them. Why?"

"I got to talk to them."

"What? Really?"

"Yep. They spotted me, surprisingly enough. I didn't realize it was them for at least a minute! We just got done talking, actually. They seemed... Oh, it's starting."

Duncan smirked. He couldn't wait to hear what her opinion of her parents was!

* * *

Courtney's graduation was far different from his, and he was rather bored most of the time. Her graduation was filled with speech after speech... And there were two Salutatorian's! Their speeches were nothing like his, of course. After a while, he laid his head on his Ma's shoulder. He was just so bored and knew she wouldn't mind him doing that.

"Up next we have a speech from our Valedictorian, Miss Courtney Richardson."

Duncan's attention was focused back on the stage. He continued to rest his head on his Ma's shoulder as he watched his girlfriend walk onto the stage.

"Good evening," Courtney said, smiling at everyone. "To the class of 2010... Congratulations! After all of our long hours dedicated to this school, we're finally graduating! I had to change it slightly, but as my boyfriend mostly said, '_We're out of this place_!'"

Duncan and his Mom both quietly laughed. That little outburst did not mesh well with some of his family, though his Mom got a kick out of his little outburst.

"There are so many people we have to thank. Without these people, we wouldn't be sitting here right now, awaiting the moment where our names are called and we're able to walk across the stage, our diplomas in our hands. We have to thank our teachers, especially those who really believed in us and gave us those extra pushes. We have to thank our mentors, or those who helped us outside of school. School was not easy, and sometimes, we bit more than we could chew, so we should thank those who stuck by our sides and listened to us if we needed to rant or scream out.

"I can't thank go through every single person and tell you who they all want to thank, because I'm sure some people don't even know who all they want to thank. Instead, I can tell you a few people who I would like to personally thank. I would like to thank all of my teachers, both here and outside of the school. You all taught me what I know, and I hope to continue using my knowledge from these studies when I continue my studies at a higher educational facility. I thank you all for the wisdom you have bestowed upon me.

"I want to thank my friends, both my old and current ones. We see so many people in our lives. Some are there briefly, others are there for years. I have learned things from all of you, and you all help me be the person I am today. I thank you all for the memories and the times we shared together. For those whom I call my friend, I hope we all continue to keep in touch and support one another through this journey we call life. I wish you all the best.

"I'd also like to briefly mention my boyfriend. He's a special guy, who's really shown me what life can be about. We haven't known each other too long, but the memories we've shared together are some I will never forget. He surprised me by being the Salutatorian at his school, and I'll admit, parts of this speech tonight are inspired by the one he made last week."

He saw her look up and they immediately locked eyes. It was as if they were the only two people in that room at that moment. She said to him, "Thank you, sweetie, for everything." He couldn't help but smile and mouth, '_You're welcome_'.

"Of course, I need to thank my parents. In so many ways, I wouldn't be here without them. They've always given me those extra pushes to really succeed and help me become the person I am today. I feel lucky and grateful to have the parents that I have. I want to thank you, Mom and Dad, for everything that you've done for me, and I love you both.

"High school is quite the experience. Many adults hated what happened there, and wouldn't re-live it, even for a large sum of money. But, no one will deny that they are who they are because of high school. We grow up during these years here. We start off as children, and we leave as adults. Like I mentioned, the amount of people in our lives drastically gets higher and lower in these years. Many people pass through our lives, toying with our minds then throwing it away. But, we learn from these experiences. Many of us experience a first love in high school. Many people get their hearts broken, and some are even the heart-breakers. These experiences also teach us a lot.

"Most of us will be attending University after this. We'll go from seeing each other every day to, most likely, never again. Even if we attend the same college, what are the chances we'll be seeing each other a lot? I know everyone will be successful in whatever they do, and we'll all someday have that perfect life we've been invisioning of for years.

"I won't invest any more of your time, and I thank you all for listening to my speech and attending our graduation tonight, especially those friends and family who have traveled from other parts of the country and the world. Thank you."

Duncan smiled, clapping along with everyone else as Courtney walked off the stage. Her speech didn't have that comical factor that his did, but it was still great nonetheless. His Ma was also impressed by her speech, for she said, "She is so well-spoken..."

Soon, it was time for the graduates to walk across the stage. There weren't as many people in her graduating class as there were his, but that didn't matter. He still had to wait a while for her name to be called.

"Courtney Marie Richardson..."

He let out a boisterous, "_GO PRINCESS_!" He smirked when she laughed, shaking her head in his direction. He even heard Geoff and Bridgette exclaim, "_GO COURTNEY_!"

* * *

"I want to get a picture of you two together," Mrs. Evans said, quickly ushering him out of the hall when the graduation was over.

"Ma, I don't want to interrupt her family time..." Duncan murmured, continuing to be pushed by his Mom.

"They'll be fine," she explained as they stepped outside.

He looked around, trying to find his girlfriend. He smiled at the sight of her taking pictures with Geoff and Bridgette. "She's over there," he said, pointing in her direction.

"Weren't those other two people on that show?" his Ma questioned.

He nodded. "Yep. That's Geoff and Bridgette." When he approached his friends, he said, "Hey you three."

"Hey," Bridgette and Geoff responded, smiling at him. Courtney just smiled at him, almost bashfully.

"Oh, can I take a picture of all of you?" his Ma gushed, holding up her camera.

None of them minded. Duncan pulled Courtney beside him, and she stood beside Bridgette, who stood beside Geoff. After a few pictures were taken, it was time for Duncan and Courtney to take pictures together. He definitely smiled for a couple, but after that, he just smirked or kind of smile.

"Honey, do something else, like... uh... you know, keep showing us how much you love her..." his Mom insisted.

"Ma, you _don't_ want me doing that," Duncan insisted.

Geoff snorted, Courtney giggled, and even his Ma couldn't help but laugh.

"Baby, just smile a bit more for you Mom," Courtney softly said, looking up at her boyfriend.

"What is with all the pet names today?" Duncan teased, looking down at her.

She shrugged, blushing instantly. "I don't know," she murmured, leaning into his chest. "Do you not want me calling you anything?"

"I mean, I can't say '_no_' because goodness knows I have a bazillion names for you," he softly said. "It's strange, but sweet, I guess."

She nodded, patting his back. She looked at Mrs. Evans and said, "I should probably go look for my parents."

"Oh, sweetie, you go right ahead," Suzie said, turning off her camera and putting it into her purse. She looked at her son and said, "I'll be in the car. Try not to take too long."

Duncan nodded, heavily resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "Gotcha."

"Hey, Court?" Bridgette softly asked, beckoning for Courtney to step closer to her.

"So, dude, you live around here?" Geoff asked Duncan as the girls had their talk.

"Kinda," Duncan said. "I live about an hour away."

"That's cool," Geoff said, nodding. "You got plans for tomorrow?"

"Uhh... I don't think so," Duncan said. "Why?"

"Well, I think the girls are gonna hang out," Geoff explained. "You wanna hang for a while?"

"Sure." Duncan shrugged. "Any time good for you?"

"Is eleven good?" Geoff asked.

"It's perfect," Duncan said, smiling. "Gimme your number, man, so I can call or text ya in the morning..."

"Sure, bro! I totally need yours, too..."

Once everyone got done talking, and after Bridgette and Geoff said their good-bye's, Courtney asked Duncan, "Can I talk to you?"

"Absolutely," Duncan said, reaching forward and grabbing her hand.

Courtney smiled and led him to an empty part of the stairs. After they sat down, she turned to him and said, "So, we can't hang out tonight."

"Why?"

"Mom insisted I spend time with the family tonight. She thinks you're going to take my virginity while everyone else is asleep, and she isn't sure how well the rest of the family will feel about that."

Duncan sat there for a few moments, silent. Did her family really think that? "Uhh... Wow. Okay."

"Yeah," Courtney muttered, nodding. "It's stupid."

"Uh, yeah, it is." Duncan nodded. "Are you free tomorrow?"

"Kind of," Courtney said. "I'm having lunch with Bridgette, and then dinner with my Grandma."

Duncan nodded, tapping his chin. "You want to go out to breakfast?"

She nodded, smiling. "I would love to. Do you want to meet some of my family tomorrow before breakfast?"

"Sounds like a plan."


	18. Slight Change of Plan

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

Duncan jogged up the steps that led to Courtney's house. There were a few cars in the front, but he was able to find a spot. He knocked on the front door before swinging on the balls of his feet. He furrowed his eyebrows after hearing an abundant amount of cheers. He was quickly taken away from his thoughts as the door quickly opened.

Courtney peeked her head through, smiling. "Hey-"

"_OOH, DUNCAN_!"

Duncan raised an eyebrow. "Uh, who was _that_?"

"Those were my twin cousins, Mary and Jane," Courtney explained, sighing. "They want to meet you. Is that okay?"

He shrugged. "Sure."

Courtney nodded and opened the door. "Look, here he is," she muttered, holding out her hand towards her boyfriend as he stepped inside.

"You look _so_ different," Mary said.

"_So_ totally different," Jane said, nodding.

"Oh, my God," Mary said.

"They are _totally _matching," Jane said.

Courtney and Duncan looked at each other before laughing. Yet again, they wore matching outfits. Both wore black polo shirts, jeans, and even red converses. Of course, the styles of the pants and the converses were different, but overall, their outfits almost looked the same.

"So, how old are you two?" Duncan asked.

"We're not available," the twins immediately replied, placing their hands on their hips.

"I wasn't asking either of you out!" he snapped, glaring at them. "I have a girlfriend. Her name happens to be Courtney. Oh, and she's standing right here."

"We're fifteen," the twins replied.

Their simultaneous answers were seriously creeping Duncan out. "Cool... Where are you two from?"

"L.A."

Duncan smirked at his girlfriend. "I didn't know you had family in America."

"They moved there six months ago," Courtney said, glaring at at cousins. "They moved from Charlottetown."

Duncan nodded. He then smirked. "Did you know Courtney and I are getting married?"

"_Duncan_!" Courtney snapped, glaring at her boyfriend.

"_What_?" the twins immediately asked, grinning madly.

"Yep, next month, on our trip to Niagara Falls," Duncan said, walking over to Courtney and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Courtney continued glaring at him. He bent down and rubbed his nose against hers.

"Oh, my God, that was _so_ cute," Jane said.

"_So_ cute," Mary agreed.

"We have to tell _everyone_," the twins said.

"What?" Courtney cried. "_No, no, no_, please-"

By then, it was too late. The twins had already run off in another room. As they exclaimed "_GUESS WHO'S GETTING MARRIED_?", Duncan began laughing and Courtney groaned.

"_Duncan_!" she snapped, hitting his arm. "I can't _believe_ you said that! Do you know how long it took to convince my Mom we're not getting married?"

"Grab your purse and come on," he muttered, grabbing her hand. "I said that to get them away."

"My Dad doesn't know about the ring!" she snapped, snatching up her purse and stalking outside. "I know my cousins saw the ring. I already told you about my Mom. My whole family is going to freak!"

He stopped walking and brought her closer to him. "Look, you'll be out the entire day," he said, giving her hand a squeeze. "I'm sure this will all blow over by the time you get back tonight."

"It better," she murmured, poking his chest. "Or you are getting a mouthful tonight."

"I did not realize we were having sex tonight..."

She pursed her lips, her face angry. "You better be glad I don't want to kick your balls right now," she seethed before quickly walking to her car.

"Who's car are we taking?" he asked.

"Both!"

He jogged over to her car. "Babe, I really didn't mean to upset you."

She let out a sigh and softly smiled at him. "Remember? After we get done, I'm meeting up with Bridgette, and you're meeting up with Geoff."

He let out a chuckle. "Of course I remember," he said, tapping the top of her car. "I was just making sure you remembered."

* * *

"Does your Mom like the ring I picked out?"

Courtney shrugged, putting another potato square into her mouth. "I guess," she muttered. "She said it was '_nice and elegant_'."

"I... Definitely did not imagine those words when I picked it out," Duncan said. "Well, '_nice_', yes, but not '_elegant_'."

"I think it's beautiful," she said, giving him a soft smile. "But I have a question: Why is the arrow shooting into the heart?"

He shrugged. "I have no idea," he muttered. "I guess you can interpret that in any way you want to."

"So you weren't, like, looking for any ring in particular?"

He shook his head. "Nope. I just walked into the store one day and just..." He shrugged. "I saw it and thought of you instantly."

She smiled, reaching over and grabbing his hand. "I'm sorry we couldn't hang out last night," she softly said.

He shrugged, stroking the top of her hand with his thumb. "It's okay. I'm glad I got to see you for a bit last night, though."

She beamed. "How, um... How did you like my speech?"

He pursed his lips before leaning back. He then patted the spot next to him and said, "Why don't you come over here. Sit next to Papa Duncan."

She rolled her eyes, smirking. She scooted out of the booth and walked over to the other side. She sat down next to him, resting her hands in her lap. "You never answered my question," she softly said.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, resting his head on top of hers. "I liked it."

She expected him to say more, and when he didn't, she asked, "That's it?"

"You want my honest opinion?" he quietly asked.

She immediately tensed at his question. Was her speech really that bad? "_Sure_?" she squeaked, cursing herself for sounding scared and insecure.

"It was a bit boring," he honestly said. "Well... It was very straight-to-the-point. We're graduating, I'm thanking you all, we're all moving on, thanks for coming."

She nodded. She couldn't help but agree with him. "Yeah... Well, honey, sorry that my speech wasn't like yours."

He chuckled. "I would hope yours wouldn't be like mine. You're a lot more organized than I am, so I expected your speech to be the way it was."

"So... You liked it?"

"I said that, didn't I?" he asked, kissing her temple. He rested his head on top of hers and said, "My conversation with Ma made me think a lot last night."

"What conversation?"

"When I told her we were moving in together. I looked up a few places last night, kinda around UT."

"Did you find any nice places?"

"Mmhmm." He reached into his back pocket and brought out his iPod Touch. He turned it on and accessed his e-mail. "I sent a few links to myself so I could show you this morning..."

She rested her head on his shoulder, popping a few more potato squares into her mouth. She looked down at his iPod Touch and listened to him explain the places. Normally, she would point out how she could read it herself, but she liked listening to Duncan explain the apartments. He sounded so excited, so determined, and it made her feel more excited and determined.

Neither needed to discuss it - they really wanted to move in together. There was no if, and, or but about it. His parents couldn't stop them, her parents couldn't stop them. She knew her parents would object; her Mom was already putting up a fight. She didn't care, though. She was starting her journey into adulthood. She was going to attend the University of Toronto, where she apparently already completed over a year's classes just based on her college plus-level classes.

She placed her hand on his when he opened a link to a certain apartment building. It was black and white, very modern-looking. It was on Spadina and near Eglington. Spadina was the street that part of her school was on. "That looks nice," she said, pointing at the picture.

He nodded. "I like it, too. Want me to ask about availabilities?"

"We can't really move in soon," she quietly said, frowning slightly. "I really want to go to Niagara Falls before moving..."

He nodded. "Okay, so we'll go there first. No big deal. Then we can move?"

She nodded, smiling softly. "Sounds like a plan."

Suddenly, Duncan's cell phone began to ring. "Shi-" He groaned, digging deeper into his pocket to get his phone. "Fuck... There we go." He answered the call. "Hello?"

"_Dude! You're with Court, right_?"

"Yeah. Why? It's barely past ten..."

"_I know, but... I've got a proposition for you two_."

Duncan beckoned for Courtney to lean towards his phone. When she was close enough, he said, "We're listening."

"_Okay, so I totally forgot to turn in that form to compete on Total Drama again, but I got another letter in the mail that was, like, saying I could come back to host the Aftermath shows_!"

"Okay..." Duncan slowly said, shrugging.

"_They said, since Bridgie here will be competing in the new show, I get to choose someone to host with, and I want you two to host with me_."

Courtney and Duncan just stared at each other. Both had rejected the offer to return to the show - would they really want to host the Aftermath specials?

"Sure, man."

Courtney stared at her boyfriend in shock. Did he really just accept that offer? Right after they discussed starting their lives together?

"_SWEET_!" Geoff exclaimed. "_What did Mocha say_?"

Duncan stared at Courtney expectantly. She shrugged, a frantic look on her face. "I think she's gonna pass," Duncan said into the phone.

"_Aww. Well, actually, that's probably a good thing. The producer's were, like, 'You can only pick one person' and I was, like, 'I can't pick between the two of them...' Meaning you two, of course_."

"I figured as much," Duncan said, smirking.

Geoff laughed. "_Yeah, well, I'm gonna make some phone calls. I'll see ya later, dude_."

"Later, man."

"What was that about?" Courtney quietly asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"What? I guess it'd be fun hosting those Aftermath shows..."

"Duncan!" she snapped.

"What?" he snapped in return.

"What did we just talk about?"

He blinked, keeping quiet for a few moments. "We're moving after we go on vacation?"

"_Exactly_!"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Babe, if I remember correctly, there were four Aftermath's during Total Drama Action, and they were all spread out during the season. I think it'll be the same this time around. I can still do this while have a great summer with you."

She sighed, looking away. "I just don't want you to suddenly end up competing on the show."

He frowned. "Is that all that's eating you up right now?"

She nodded, looking at him. "I'm really worried you'll somehow end up on the show and... I don't know. I have a feeling something will happen!"

"Nothing will happen," he quietly said, leaning forward and kissing her forehead. "I promise."

"I don't want you succumbing to any kind of rush you may get from being popular or whatever!" she snapped, pointing her finger at him. "I don't want doing what Geoff did last season!"

"He thought he had all this power and stuff," Duncan informed his girlfriend. "I know I have all sorts of power. I freakin' won last year. I am the top dog until a new winner is declared in August."

"That doesn't mean you have all sorts of power," Courtney muttered, rolling her eyes. She then smirked and said, "But, I guess since you go out with me, my lawyers are your lawyers. They've got lots of power, and they certainly helped me last year."

He nodded, a smug look on his face. "Lawyers have lots of powers... Ooh, I can't wait 'til you become a lawyer. We are going to rule the world!"

* * *

Instead of really hanging out, Geoff and Duncan had to head down the office where the Total Drama producers were at. Geoff, being the optimistic person he was, said to Duncan, "At least we won't be wandering around Toronto bored!"

They walked into the building and into the elevator. "Are you bummed you can't compete with Bridgette?" Duncan asked his friend.

Geoff shrugged. "Kinda," he said. "I was more bummed about it at first, because I seriously thought I sent in my letter. Then I found it one day... But, hey, I'm back on a part of the show. That's cool enough."

Duncan nodded as they stepped out of the elevator. "You think Chris'll be here?"

Geoff grimaced slightly. "I hope not, dude."

"Man, me too." They opened the door to the room, and Duncan couldn't hold back his groan of disappointment. There was Chris at the end of the table, smiling at the two men.

"Duncan! Geoff! What a surprise it is to see the two of you!" Chris said, standing up and walking over to them.

"Dude, cut the crap," Duncan muttered, glaring at Chris.

"I am hurt," Chris dramatically said, placing his hand over his heart.

"Why are we here?" Duncan asked.

"To announce to the world you two are the hosts of the Total Drama World Tour Aftermath Specials!"

"Total Drama _what_?" Duncan asked, confused.

"Total Drama World Tour," Chris slowly said. "It was originally going to be named Total Drama Musical, but the network thought there wasn't enough music in it..."

"I am so glad I'm not competing," Duncan muttered, shaking his head. "Singing? I so _don't_ sing..."

"Uh, you will be singing," Chris informed the delinquent.

"Oh, no I won't," Duncan insisted, continuing to glare at the host.

"Duncan," Geoff said, pulling the angry teenager toward him. He whispered in his ear, "Just let Chris believe you're going to sing. He has no control over the Aftermath shows, unless he's on them himself."

"What are you saying to him?" Chris suspiciously asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm just telling Duncan here that I'm sure Courtney wouldn't mind hearing him sing," Geoff said, smiling at the host. He patted Duncan's back and asked, "Right, dude?"

Duncan nodded, letting out a sigh.

"Mmhmm..." Chris shrugged before continuing, "So, we'll be filming a couple of promo's with the two of you. You'll basically introduce Total Drama World Tour. Then we'll take some pictures, and I think Celebrity Manhunt will stop by at some point..."

"Really?" Duncan groaned. He hated that show with a passion. He blocked their number after they tried to call him a numerous amount of times after he had won Total Drama Action.

"They mentioned how excited they were to see you..." Chris murmured, eying Duncan carefully.

"Oh, I am so excited to see them," Duncan sarcastically said, rolling his eyes.

"Well, we don't have all day," Chris said, placing his hands on the two teens. "Let's get this thing started!"

* * *

"Hey babe," Duncan murmured into the phone, keeping an eye out for anyone approaching him.

"_Hey... What's up_?"

"We're filming promo's for the new season."

"_You are not_."

"Unfortunately. Celebrity Manhunt's stopping by."

"_No wonder they've been calling my phone all day_!"

"I thought you blocked their number last year?"

"_No, that was you_."

"I know I blocked their number, but I thought you did as well."

"_Nope_."

"Have fun continuing to ignore their calls."

"_I picked up the first one, actually_."

"I'm assuming you hung up?"

"_Unfortunately_."

"Oh, shit," he muttered, watching Josh and Blaineley walk in. "I gotta go. The Freak's are here."

"_Good look, sweetie_."

"I'll do my best. Don't have too much fun with Bridgette."

"_Already am_!"

He chuckled as they hung up. He stuffed his phone into his pocket and walked over to Geoff. Unfortunately, the female host stepped in front of him.

"Aah, look who it is," Blaineley said, smiling smugly at Duncan.

Duncan resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he muttered, "Blaineley."

"Mr. Winner himself," Blaineley said, continuing to smile that annoying smile of hers. "Boy, I cannot wait to interview you. You have no idea the questions I will be asking you."

This time, Duncan couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Whatever," he muttered. "You think you're going to embarrass me? Think again."

"Oh, I don't think I'll be embarrassing you," Blaineley said. She leaned close to him and said, "Though, I do know a few personal things about you that you may not want revealed to the public..."

Duncan glared at her. "What kind of personal things?" he quietly asked.

Blaineley smirked. "Now someone's interested in talking to us."

Duncan groaned. "You kept calling me at all hours of the day! I was getting sick of hearing your voice, so of course I blocked all the numbers at Celebrity Manhunt! Now, tell me what you know."

"Are you worried your reputation will be ruined?" Blaineley taunted. "Or are you worried that, based on something that happened a couple of months ago, you'll never grow out of that convict stereotype?"

He should have yelled at her. He should have created a riot. But, by doing that, he would have slipped up. Somehow, it was revealed to her that he went to jail, there was no doubt about that. How she knew, he'll never knew. Unfortunately, a lot of people in Hamilton knew he went to jail, so of course someone told Celebrity Manhunt. Of course, it was all hearsay until he said something...

"You should really set your Facebook page to private," Blaineley said. "I was able to read on there that you went to jail."

Okay, so maybe he was the one that "told" Blaineley.

"So you're going to ask about my jail experience?" Duncan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe. Maybe not." Blaineley shrugged. Suddenly, some bells started to ring. "I have to go now. I'll be seeing you later."

Duncan grimaced. "I sure hope not." He sighed and walked over to Geoff.

"Where have you been, dude?" Geoff quietly asked, handing him a script.

"I was being harassed by the interviewing world's biggest bitch," Duncan murmured, glancing over the lines.

Geoff chuckled. "Blaineley found you, huh?"

Duncan nodded. "Crazy bitch knows I went to jail."

"Well, that's not good," Geoff muttered, frowning slightly. "You gonna own up to it?"

"She found out from my Facebook, dude. I gotta find a way to block her from accessing that, too."

The Director walked over to them and explained how everything would go. They were back in the Aftermath studio, and would be doing all the shoots from the main red couch. The two sat down on the couch and prepared for the long process. One moment that stood out for Duncan was when Geoff started singing. Duncan was supposed to be singing along, too, but he refused to sing along.

"_Total Drama World Tour_!" Geoff sang, smiling happily.

Duncan went from staring at Geoff like he was crazy to staring at the camera and saying, "Duncan's _don't_ sing."

"Cut!" the Director exclaimed.

"Uhh, dude," Geoff quietly said. "You know you were supposed to be singing."

"Yeah." Duncan shrugged. "I'm _not_ singing, though."

"We're keeping that," the Director said.

Duncan grinned. "_Yes_!"

"But you must sing in one shot," the Director informed him.

"Just _one_ shot?" Duncan asked, holding up his index finger to clarify "_one_".

"Yes," the Director said. "Just one."

Duncan nodded. "I can deal with that, I guess."

Unfortunately, he sounded bored and uninterested in singing. He kept singing like that, too. Finally, the Director gave up on trying to make Duncan sound enthusiastic. Chris figured it would predict how the show may turn out.

After all the commercials were filmed, and after promotional shots were taken, they were set up for interviews. There weren't too many people there to interview them. Finally, it came for the time for Blaineley to interview Duncan. He was not looking forward to this moment.

"We are here live at the studio where the Total Drama Aftermath's are filmed at," Blaineley said to the camera. "You just saw Josh interview Geoff, and now it's my turn to interview Duncan." She turned to the teenager and said, "So, Duncan, are you bummed that you're not able to compete on the new season?"

"Not really," Duncan said. "I opted out of competing this time. Plus, I won the last season."

"Speaking of the season finale," Blaineley said. "We witnessed quite the steamy make-out session between yourself and Courtney. If I remember correctly, you two had broken up by that point-"

"I wouldn't call it a breakup," Duncan explained.

Blaineley seemed taken aback by the interruption. "What would you call it, then?"

"A tiny break."

Blaineley nodded. "Okay... So how are you and Courtney?"

"We're good," Duncan said, nodding. "Still going strong."

"I'm assuming you two have been dating since Total Drama Island?"

Duncan nodded. "Yep. We've been together for almost two years now."

"Wow, that's quite a long time, especially for people your age," Blaineley said. "Do you two ever fight?"

"Didn't you watch Total Drama Action?" Duncan asked, chuckling. "Of course we fight. We even had a fight this morning."

"And what was that about?" Blaineley asked.

"Oh, just about where we were going to eat breakfast at," Duncan said, smirking. His smirk widened when she continued on. His lying skills worked once again. They had no trouble picking out somewhere to eat. He wasn't about to tell the world what they really "fought" about. It was really a minor squabble, but still - he wasn't going to talk about it.

"Well, that's all the time we have," Blaineley said, turning back to the camera. "Make sure to check out the season premiere of Total Drama World Tour, starting in two weeks from this Friday. Make sure to catch an all-new Celebrity Manhunt tomorrow night at eight."

"So, no asking about jail, huh?" Duncan asked once the camera's were off.

"Not this time," Blaineley said. She turned to him and said, "Next time, though."

**A/N: Now, I've only seen Celebrity Manhunt's Total Drama Action Reunion Special once, and I haven't seen any of the future episodes (but know all about them, unfortunately at times), so I'm not sure how Blainley acts... But I heard she can be a bitch! I tried portraying her as one in this chapter. And thank you all for the reviews! But, we can do better. Let's shoot for more! I don't want to do set numbers again, but... Please? :) Thank you! I hope you all enjoyed this!**


	19. New Things

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

**A/N: Thank you all for the reviews! They all mean so much to me. Of course, the more the merrier, but who am I to complain? Also, a note for this chapter... Consider it a chapter of three one-shots. Like the title suggests, they all have to do with new things. Yes, they all pertain the the storylines that are going on, but somehow, all three parts are so different from each other. Enjoy!**

It was that time of year again. It was time for another installment of the Total Drama series. Oh how Duncan was stoked to not be performing this time around. True, he met some cool, all interesting, people on the show. He also met the love of his life, something he would never be caught saying to most people. Said woman wasn't with him, for she was in another part of the country visiting relatives.

"Duncan!" his Ma called, jogging downstairs. "Has it started yet?"

"It's about to come on," Duncan said, smirking at a commercial with him and Geoff, introducing the show's premiere.

"Oh, sweetie, you're a superstar!" she said, ruffling his hair as she walked behind the couch.

He groaned, rolling his eyes. He sarcastically muttered, "Yep. _Totally_." He wasn't exactly sure why his Mom elected to watch the show with him. He wasn't on the show, nor was Courtney. In a way, he had to watch it because he was hosting the Aftermath specials. He also wanted to watch it because he wanted to see what kind of shenanigans went down this season.

Suddenly, Chris' voice boomed across the screen. "Season three of Total Drama, folks! The world is gonna be mine, sea to shining sea! Sadly, I'm forced to share my world with a three-ring team traveling freak show!"

Duncan gaped at the screen. He couldn't help but ask aloud, "Really?"

Chris then begun announcing all the contestants competing this season, which included most of the cast from the previous seasons and some new people. Two of the new contestants oddly resembled himself and Courtney, but he shrugged it off. He got bored with the random chatter, so pulled out his phone and texted his girlfriend.

_hey ;) u watchin the show?_

_I'm trying to. Are you?_

_yea. its borin._

_Sort of. I hope they start singing soon!_

_they probly suck._

_I wouldn't be surprised ;)_

He chuckled, setting his phone down next to him. Finally, a dinging noise was heard. That was the cue for them to start singing. "Oh, this is gonna be good..." he muttered. He was instantly surprised. They actually sounded decent! There were a couple of voices that stood out, but otherwise, none of them were really bad. Well, Ezekiel was the exception.

"Now, explain to me why you didn't compete on this show...?" his Mom asked during a commercial break.

He turned and faced his Ma, his demeanor seriously questioning her. "Really, Ma?"

"Honey, you could have sung on national television!"

"Uh, international television, and... no. I don't sing."

His Mom rolled his eyes. "Seriously, though. Why aren't you competing?"

Duncan shrugged. "I don't know. The contract only held us responsible for competing in two seasons, if Chris wanted us to, not three. Plus, I did win last season..."

Their attentions returned to the TV as it started. It was an interesting episode, that was certain. He wasn't too fond of the location, though. Well, he figured he probably wouldn't like it in Egypt. He always heard about how hot it was, and with the clothes he wore, he would be incredibly uncomfortable there.

"I think I'm glad you're here instead traveling around the world," his Mom quietly remarked. "You made it very far both seasons, and I wouldn't be surprised if that happened again."

"It won't," he firmly said, looking over at her. "I'm _done_ with competing on reality competitions."

* * *

"_So, are we staying to Canada, going to America, or visiting both..._?"

"We can do both? I heard both parts of Niagara Falls are within walking distance of each other..."

"_I'm almost positive they are. What kind of stuff are we going to do_?"

"Haven't you thought of any ideas, Ms. I-Have-To-Have-Everything-Planned?"

"_You're the one that called me about the trip_."

"You're the one that's been begging to go on this trip."

"_What, do you suddenly not want to go_?"

Duncan sighed, rolling his eyes. Courtney and him were discussing their trip to Niagara Falls, which would be in two weeks from that day. Neither had really planned anything yet, and they decided they would book their hotel and any passes they would get that day.

"_No_, I totally _don't_ want to go anymore," Duncan sarcastically muttered.

He heard her loudly sigh on the other end of the line. "_I want to have a view of the Falls from the hotel room_."

"We can do that."

"_Um, that's really expensive_."

"Eh, depends on which side you want to look at. America or Canada? I think I saw an option somewhere for both..." Duncan instantly pulled up an information page about the hotels in that area.

"_Let's shoot for something nice, but nothing too expensive_."

"Canada side it is."

Courtney laughed. "_Also, I remember seeing something about a 'Top of the Falls' restaurant_..."

"We'll eat there for lunch one day... What days are we staying again?"

"_We'll get there the night of the 17th and leave the morning of the 20th_."

"Oh, okay, I thought it was after the first Aftermath..."

"_No, that's on the 23rd_."

"Oh, okay, so it's before the Aftermath..." He turned to the door when a knock on the door was heard. "What?"

"Whatcha doin', bro?" Dylan asked, peering into his brother's room.

"Talking to my girl about our trip," Duncan explained.

"_Nice, Duncan_," Courtney murmured.

"Which one?" Dylan teased.

"Dude!" Duncan exclaimed, glaring at his older brother.

Dylan laughed. "Just kiddin', bro. You've got company, though."

"Who?" Duncan asked, turning back to his computer.

"Brian and Michelle."

Duncan sighed. He then muttered, "Crap..." He turned back to his brother and said, "Tell them to wait ten minutes, okay?" When his brother left the room, he said, "Okay, we gotta wrap this up..."

"_We are not finishing this conversation until the hotel is booked!_"

"I am working on it..." he muttered. He opened a page and said, "Embassy Suites... It's on our side..."

"_Okay_..."

"Ooh, how does a room with a whirlpool sound?"

"_Um... I don't know? Is that the only option_?"

"Well, the only option for a room with one bed."

"_Well, I don't want a room with two beds_..."

"We haven't done it in a whirlpool..."

"_Duncan_!"

"What? We haven't." He smirked as he finished the reservation. "Okay, so I'm about to book this."

"_How much is it_?"

"Uhh..." He grimaced slightly and muttered, "Over six hundred..."

"_Well, nobody said this trip was going to be cheap_."

"Can we afford it?"

"_I don't know, Duncan, can you afford it_?"

While he knew she was trying to rub in his face how he needed to get a job, he told her, "Do you remember who you're talking to?"

"_Oh, shut up. I forgot for a second_."

"Last chance to back out..."

"_Just book the damn room already_!"

He rolled his eyes, finalizing the purchase. "You know, patience is a virtue..."

"_I have much more patience than you do, darling_."

"For the most part, yes you do," he said. He then softly told her, "I'm really excited about this trip, Princess."

She just as softly said, "_Me, too, Duncan_."

"Well, I better head downstairs," he said, getting up and walking out of the room. "I'll talk to you later."

"_Alright. I love you_."

"Love you more!" Before she could object, he ended the call. He jogged downstairs and walked over to the living room. "Well, well, what a surprise..." he said, leaning in the doorway. "You two look cozy..."

"Dude..." Brian sighed, scratching the back of his head.

"Don't get mad at what we're about to tell you," Michelle softly said.

Duncan raised an eyebrow. He walked over and sat down on the couch across from them. "Okay... What's up?"

"We're dating," Michelle said, pointing back-and-forth between herself and Brian.

Duncan slowly nodded. He leaned back in the couch, crossing his arms. "Since when?" he asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"Just a couple of days ago," Brian quickly said, panic written all over his face.

"Dude, calm down," Duncan said, sitting back up once more. "I'm not mad."

"You're not?" the new couple asked.

Duncan let out a couple of chuckles before his face turned serious. He was enjoying freaking them out and wanted to totally freak them out more. "Just kidding. You two better start running."

Michelle gaped at Duncan while Brian actually stood up. Duncan couldn't hold it in any longer. He let out a snort, his face clearly amused. "I'm totally messing with the both of you. You can sit back down, dude."

"I dunno..." Brian cautiously said, glancing between Michelle and Duncan.

Michelle rolled her eyes. "Thanks, Duncan."

Duncan shrugged, leaning back into the couch once more. "Whatever. Just don't, like... Don't invite me out and then make-out the entire time. I won't appreciate it."

"Dude, you're awesome," Brian said. He walked over to the couch and literally jumped on Duncan.

The younger cousin instantly smacked his older cousin. "_Get off_!" he exclaimed.

"Dude, this is revenge for you scaring the shit out of me," Brian said, giving his cousin a headlock and a noogie.

"_BRIAN_!" Duncan loudly said, trying to remove Brian's arms from his neck.

"Feet _off_ the couch!" Mrs. Evans said, walking into the house. "And hands _off_ each other!"

"Hey Auntie!" Brian said, now standing up.

"Shut up," Duncan murmured, standing up and roughly shoving his cousin. He then followed his Ma into the kitchen. "So..." he said.

Suzie turned around, smirking at her son. "I can't even guess what you're thinking, so just go ahead and tell me."

"I booked the hotel for me and Courtney's trip to the Falls," he said, grabbing a Coca Cola from the fridge.

His Mom smiled and gave her son a side hug. "I'm happy for you," she said. "You and Courtney, taking your first vacation together..."

"It's about time," he muttered.

She laughed, patting his back. "So what are Michelle and Brian doing over?"

"Telling me they're going out," Duncan quietly explained.

His Mom looked shocked. Suddenly, she tip-toed to the edge of the room and peered her head into the other room. He smirked, enjoying how much of a snoop his Ma was being. He mimicked her actions, tip-toeing behind her. He, too, peered into the living room. He softly smiled at the sight of his two friends. They were sitting there, holding hands.

His Ma backed up and walked away from the door. "They're cute," she softly said, smiling. She then looked at Duncan and asked, "Didn't you go out with her at one point?"

"We made out at a party years ago," he clarified, earning a roll of the eyes from his Ma. Him and Michelle were at some party when they were thirteen, and at one point, everyone was playing "Seven Minutes in Heaven". It was determined that the two of them were to be in there, so of course, being the young, confused, experimental teens they were, they decided to make out. Neither ever talked about the experience, even though so many people knew about it.

"So where are you two staying at?" his Ma asked, sitting down at the table.

Duncan sat across from his Mom and said, "The Embassy Suites, on the Canada side."

She nodded, impressed. "Nice... Can you see the waterfalls from there?"

Duncan nodded, smirking. "Oh, yeah. Courtney wanted a room with a view."

His Mom laughed. "Well, I'm sure you won't regret paying for it. Now, how will you be getting out there?"

Duncan sighed, his shoulders drooping. Now, he wasn't really upset or anything. He was merely trying to convince his Ma the best he could that he needed a ride to the train station in Toronto.

"Honey, that won't work," Suzie said, reaching over and patting his hand. "That trick worked on me once. I don't know why you keep trying that on me."

Duncan shrugged, smiling sweetly at his Ma. "I keep forgetting that you remember me doing that."

She laughed and said, "Why don't you check up on your friends?" She watched her son get up and walk into the other room. She laughed and shook her head when she heard her son exclaim, "_HEY_!"

* * *

As Duncan walked up Courtney's front steps, he was thinking about a few times. On that day, they were going to spend the day at the beach... or, at least, they were going to stay there until they got bored. At least the beach was next to a boardwalk, so when they got bored at the beach, they could just walk down the boardwalk. It was the first time they would spend time on the beach together. He was secretly hoping that she would swap out her bathing suit from Total Drama to something more... _revealing_. He had some black shorts on; he was not going to wear a speedo. He wasn't like he was flabby or just skin and bones. He had a nice, toned chest and was well-endowed, but he was not the type of person to wear a speedo.

He knocked on Courtney's door, eagerly awaiting to see his girlfriend. He pursed his lips slightly as he saw her open the door. He was a bit shocked to see her wearing a polo dress. He knew there was a bathing suit under there, but she had covered it up. He smirked at her and said, "Babe, you better not be wearing that bathing suit from the show."

She narrowed her eyes at him, but returned the smirk. "And what if I am?"

"We may have to stop by somewhere to pick you up something."

She rolled her eyes and stepped out of the house. She locked the door behind her and started walking towards his car. "I'm not wearing that suit," she said, turning and smiling at him. "I think you'll like what I have on."

He was getting a little too anxious thinking about her outfit. Maybe it was because they hadn't seen each other in over a week, for she had just gotten back from a trip out of town. After they got into the car, he started to drive off.

"So, were your folks home?"

She shook her head, pushing her bangs out of her face. "Nope. They're at work."

"And how late will they be at work...?" he quietly asked, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

She giggled. "Pretty late, I think. There's a company dinner happening tonight, so..."

"Well, if we can't find some time to do it on the beach, I know where someplace we'll definitely be able to fuck..."

"And what if one of us gets sunburned?" she questioned, looking at him expectantly.

He thought about that for a moment. She couldn't help but smirk slightly at that. She wasn't really serious, but could tell he was seriously thinking about that. He finally thought of an answer, and she could tell, for he smirked. When they stopped at a red light, he turned to her and said, "There's always doggy-style."

A blush spread across her cheeks as she just stared at him. No, they weren't a couple that just had sex in one or two positions; they had actually had sex in a number of positions. That particular style he mentioned was one that they hadn't tried yet. She turned away from him, staring at the road in front of her. "We'll see," she quietly said.

Duncan raised his eyebrows slightly but nodded, not uttering a single word. Neither spoke another word to each other for the rest of the car ride. He was surprised, yet happy, to find a spot right next to the docks. They got out, both gathering their belongs, and headed over to the beach.

"So, where do you want to set up at?" he asked, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

She instinctively wrapped her arm around his waist and responded, "Um..." She used her spare hand to point at a spot about twenty feet away from them. "Is right there okay?"

He nodded. "Looks good."

They made their way over to the empty spot and began to place their stuff down. Courtney was about to get out a large beach blanket when suddenly Duncan placed one down in front of them. She gaped at it before telling him, "I didn't realize you brought a blanket..."

He nodded. "I figured we needed one... What, you brought one, too?" He laughed when she nodded. "Well, now we've got two in case we need it."

She nodded and proceeded to get out a towel. She folded it and placed it down on the blanket before rummaging through her bag some more.

Duncan took off his shirt and tossed it on the towel. His shoes had been taken off before they reached the sand, for he didn't walk in his shoes on the beach. Those were placed beside the blanket. He grabbed the sunscreen out of his bag was about to put some on when he looked at his girlfriend. A few thoughts ran through his mind, but the main one was:

_Oh, my God._

First, Courtney wasn't wearing her old bathing suit.

Second, her top was zebra print. He had to control himself, for he absolutely loved seeing her in that material. Plus, it seemed to push up her breasts, and he couldn't deny how great her rack looked in that top.

Third, she had changed out her belly button ring. Instead of the silver barbel, she now wore a white bioplast ring that had a sparkling flower dangling at the bottom.

It was like she wore all of this just to torture him. He wanted to tug at her belly button ring and hear her moan in pleasure. He wanted to pull at her top, or even take it off. He was a bit shocked at his now-apparent sexual frustration, but wasn't surprised - Courtney was smokin' hot. He'd be worried if he wasn't having these thoughts about her!

"You liking all of this?" she softly asked, walking over to him. She bit her lip in a cute and seductive matter while pulling slightly at the top of her black bikini bottom and the middle of her zebra top.

He leaned closer to her and quietly said, "You keep all of this up and I will drag you behind the bushes and show you a good time."

She giggled and leaned up, giving him a small kiss. "You need help putting on some sunscreen?"

He shrugged, handing her the bottle. "You can put some on my back. You need any put on?"

She shook her head, walking behind him. "I put some on before I left the house."

He smiled as she put on the sunscreen. She was lathering his back in a very gentle manner. It wasn't sexual or anything, it was just soft and gentle. After she got done putting it on, he put the rest on himself. He tossed the bottle down before mischievously smiling at her.

She half-smiled back, already growing nervous. "Ready?"

He stepped right in front of her. "Are you ready?"

She furrowed her eyebrows. "What are you-"

He suddenly picked her up, carrying her bridal-style down the beach. He chuckled as she smacked his chest lightly. "Oh, calm down."

"Duncan!" she cried, half-whining. "Put me down!"

By that point, he was ankle-deep in the water. He took a few more steps in, fully realizing she didn't realize he was standing in water. "Are you sure?"

"What do you mean, _am I sure_? Yes, I'm sure!"

He shrugged before letting her go. He chuckled as she splashed right into the water.

Courtney gasped, staring up at her boyfriend. "Did you _seriously_ just drop me in water?" she shrieked. She gasped once more when a wave hit her, making her even wetter.

Duncan laughed, stepping into the water even more. "C'mon, babe!"

"You're dead!" she said to him, standing up and walking towards him. "And don't think you can run away - I teach kids how to swim! I was trained how to swim quickly!"

He stood waist-deep in the water and held up his hands. "I don't see you catching me."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You son of a-" She groaned when he ducked into the water. She stepped deeper into the water, hoping she would be able to catch a glimpse of her boyfriend under the water. Nope. She sighed, standing there for a few moments. In a quick instant, she let out a quick scream as she was dragged under the water. She was hoping Duncan had grabbed her and not some complete lunatic. She soon resurface, letting out a gasp as she hit the air. She looked over and saw Duncan smirking at her. "Asshole!" she exclaimed.

"Your asshole," he said, winking at her.

She couldn't stay mad at him any longer. She figured she wasn't truly angry at him. They were at the beach, and she figured there would be lots of teasing and rough-playing. She let out a couple of giggles and said, "Yep. My sexy asshole."

"Right back at ya," he said before grabbing the back of her head and kissing her.

She returned the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling herself closer to him. They continued their make-out session before a wave nearly caused them to fall over. She grinned up at her boyfriend, wrapping a leg around his waist. She hoisted herself up slightly and whispered in his ear, "I'm ready for this so-called '_good time behind the bushes_'..."


	20. First Second Anniversary

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

June 12, 2008.

It wasn't the day Courtney and Duncan met, but it was the day they began their relationship. Their relationship started off rocky. He kept bugging her, and she finally gave in to his persistent nagging. "_We'll see how this works_" is what she told him. He was shocked she caved in so quickly, and she was shocked herself. There was something different about him, and she could tell there was a genuine guy underneath the tough facade. She was actually about to break up with him a week after getting together with him, but when he got sent to the boathouse, they got to spend a bit of time together to just talk. Then they stole the food and well...

Their first kiss was a very memorable moment for both of them.

Two years later, they were still together, and they were actually going to celebrate their anniversary this year. The year prior, on their first anniversary, Duncan had been back on the show. Of course he had remembered - it was on the back of the picture of her that he kept under his pillow. Had she remembered? He wasn't sure. He never asked her. Of course, he hadn't thought about that until the day of their second anniversary.

"Honey - oh, you look nice today."

Duncan looked over, seeing his Ma standing in the doorway. He had been very much absorbed in his thoughts, mostly about Courtney. He had only seen his Ma in the doorway. Well, he heard her, but he really didn't hear her. "What?"

Mrs. Evans softly smiled and sat on the edge of his bed. "Everything alright?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I'm just thinking."

"Well, don't think too hard, sweetie."

He rolled his eyes. "You need anything?"

"Just came up to see how you're doing," she said, patting his leg. "Are you going anywhere today? You're dressed up nicer than usual..."

"Today's me and Court's anniversary," he softly said, a small smile forming on his face.

Suzie couldn't help but beam at her son. She always proud of him for dating a girl like Courtney, somebody who really settled him down. "I'm happy for the two of you," she said. "Are you two doing anything special today?"

"She made reservations for dinner somewhere. She wouldn't tell me where." He shrugged. "Neither of us really know what to do. She broke up with her last boyfriend on their anniversary, and I've never had an anniversary..."

"Wait, how long have the two of you been going out?" his Mom questioned.

"Two years."

"Then you have had an anniversary."

"_Okay_, I've never _celebrated_ an anniversary. I was on that stupid show on our one-year anniversary last year."

"Well, you've celebrated your birthday, and that's an anniversary..." She laughed when he gave her a knowing look. "Oh, I don't know... Have you gotten her a gift?"

He slowly shook his head. "Uh, crap..."

She smiled and said, "Maybe you should get her flowers. Roses are nice."

He slowly nodded. "Yeah. I'll get her those. And something else..."

* * *

Right as Duncan was about to knock on Courtney's house's door, it flung open and he was engulfed in a hug by Courtney. He returned the hug, though it was partially difficult due to the items he was holding.

"Hey," she said, smiling at him.

He returned the smile, kissing her cheek. "Hey. Happy anniversary."

She beamed at him, hugging him tighter. "Happy anniversary."

He held onto her, his head resting on top of hers. He took in her scent, which was a warm vanilla. He knew she was experimenting with different perfumes. He never told her, but he could smell all the perfumes she wore when they were together. She had used this particular one a few times, and it was definitely his favorite. Maybe he would bring it up later.

"I brought you some gifts," he said, pulling back from the hug and holding out the gifts.

She smiled, carefully taking the gifts from his hands. In one hand she held a bouquet of red and white roses. In the other hand held a carefully wrapped item. "Thank you," she said, continuing to smile at him.

He shrugged, bashfully smiling. "You're welcome," he said.

"My Mom said she wants to say 'hello' to you," she said. "Since we've got a while before the reservation, and we don't really know what we're doing..."

"It's cool," he said, smiling. "Just lead the way."

Once they arrived inside and in her kitchen, she placed the two gifts on the table before turning around and telling him, "Mom is in the living room."

"You're not coming with me?" he quietly asked.

She shook her head, letting out a sigh. She quietly told him, "Mom wants to talk to you alone. I don't know why, but..." She shrugged. "I'll be in here opening your present."

He smiled. He leaned forward, kissing her forehead. He let his lips linger there for a few moments before walking out of the room. He found her Mom sitting on the couch, watching a quietly playing TV. "Hello, Mrs. Richardson."

"Hello, Duncan," his girlfriend's Mom said, smiling at him. She softly patted the couch and said, "Come sit down for a moment, please."

He nodded, not saying a word. He silently made his way over to the couch and sat at the other end of it. He cleared his throat before quietly asking, "So... What did you want to talk about?"

"I understand that you and Courtney's anniversary is today," Mrs. Richardson began, looking over at Duncan.

He nodded. "It is..."

"I don't want you doing anything to my daughter," she firmly said.

Before she was able to say anything else, Duncan quickly interjected, "Look, Mrs. Richardson... I would _never_ hurt your daughter. _Ever_. I know you know of my past, and I know you know I went to jail... I would never jeopardize Courtney in any kind of way. She knows this. I respect and love her too much, and I know how much she will succeed in life. She's got a lot to live for, and... Honestly, I'd be so mad at myself if I were involved in her going to jail, or something worse."

Her Mom slowly nodded. "I see..." she murmured. She then smiled at the young man and said, "I hope you two have fun tonight."

He blinked. Seriously? That was their entire conversation? "Thanks." As she stood up and left, he continued to sit there. He was stumped very their very short conversation. Maybe she had more planned but was stumped by his response? He had to admit - he gave her an awesome speech. But, he wasn't kidding. He meant every word he said. He loved Courtney, and he would do everything to make sure she didn't end up in trouble. He knew she was a strong woman, though. She was very smart, too. She knew when to talk, and how to talk.

Maybe to those who weren't like him, anyway.

She grew up in a more wealthier setting. She knew what those people expected, and for the most part, she lived up to those expectations. He, on the other hand, didn't grow up in a wealthy setting. His family was far from poor, though. They had a nice, comfortable life. His family didn't hang around people that Courtney's family associated with, though. Duncan especially never hung around people like that. He used to loathe those kind of people, and sometimes, he still did. He used to think Courtney was like them, but soon realized she wasn't. She was so sure of her life, so sure of who she was and who she was going to be, but he could tell that she was scared. Scared of what? Failing, in so many ways. That's what she feared. And he eventually learned that.

"Duncan?"

Duncan frowned. Courtney sounded a little too scared for his personal liking. He immediately got up and walked back into the kitchen. "You okay?"

She nodded, staring down at the counter below her. "Did you mean it?"

He furrowed his eyebrows and pursed his lips. "Uh... Did I mean what?"

"What you said to my Mom."

He nodded, slowly making his way over to her. "I _know_ you're not questioning me," he teased.

She smiled softly before looking up at him. "It was nice to hear that coming out of your mouth."

He smirked, leaning forward and hugging her. He liked giving her hugs, and he liked being on the receiving end of a hug. Well, he also liked how their bodies seemed to mold together. "So, did you like my present?"

"I did," she softly said.

The present he got her was a picture frame that could two pictures. The two pictures he gave her were ones that were taken at each of their graduations. His Ma took so many pictures, and he went through each of them many times, and there were lots of pictures of them from Courtney's graduation, so of course he spent time looking through those.

"I got you a present."

He grinned, tightly hugging her. "Go get it..." he teased, his voice slightly whine-y.

She giggled and let go of him. "You wanna come up?"

He nodded and followed her upstairs to her bedroom. He noticed the pictures on the walls had been changed since he last visited... Well, at least since he last saw the walls leading upstairs, and since he rarely spent the night, it had been a few months. He stopped at one picture, wickedly grinning. "Aww, look at the cute Princess," he remarked.

Courtney immediately turned around and jogged down the steps. She looked at the picture and instantly blushed. It was a picture of her when she was younger, in a ballerina outfit, posing and smiling happily. "Oh, God," she murmured.

"I want to hear this story," he said, smirking at her.

She sighed, shaking her head. "When I was five, I took dancing classes. During the middle of the year, we took pictures. This was one of them."

He nodded. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Those dancing classes definitely paid off..."

She definitely blushed at that comment. "I hate you," she whispered before walking up the stairs and into her room.

"Aww, you wish you did," he said, still smirking as he followed her. When he got into her room, he noticed it looked slightly different. It took him a few seconds, but he noticed there were some things missing from the room. "What'd you do in here?" he asked, sitting down on her bed.

She stopped rummaging through her closet, shocked by his question. She quickly grabbed her wrapped present before walking over to her door. She quietly shut it before muttering, "Mom will be so mad when she finds the door shut, but I don't need her hearing this..."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "Did somebody come in here?"

She shook her head, sitting down next to him. "A few days ago, my Mom and I got into a huge argument. That's partially why she talked to you today. Our argument... We argued about where my life is heading." She sighed, shaking her head and shutting her eyes. "She thinks I'm throwing my life away by being with you. She thinks I'm suddenly going to '_turn into you_', meaning getting into trouble and just bullshitting around and such..."

"Uhh, thanks for the compliment?"

She groaned, shaking her head. "I didn't mean for it to come out that harsh..."

"I know, but..." He shrugged. "Yeah. Go on."

"So, we started yelling at each other. I said I'm glad I'm moving out, she suggested I just pack up and leave since I'm so ready to throw myself out there, and I said I would." She shrugged and continued, "So I began to pack. I got a lot done, too, but Mom came in. We talked and made up, I guess."

He reached over, rubbing her back. "I have good news about the apartment we were looking at."

She looked at him, surprised. "Really?" she happily asked, smiling softly.

He nodded, also smiling. "Yep. They have all sorts of apartments available..."

"Do we have to give them any sort of notice?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Nope. All we have to do is fill out an application and get approved..."

She grinned and suddenly said, "I'm going to get one tomorrow and fill it out."

To say he was shocked was an understatement. He thought they were going to wait until August to move. He thought that they were going to go on vacation and then save up for a couple of months. "I dunno, babe..."

She frowned. "What?"

He sighed, sensing her irritability. "Courtney, it's not that I don't want to move ASAP, but... We're going on vacation next weekend. That's going to cost us a lot of money. We need money to move in."

She sighed, looking down. "I-I mean, I've got quite a bit of money... Well, enough for vacation..."

"Exactly," he said, softly smiling. He reached over and hugged her. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"I know," she murmured, resting her head against his. "I just... I want to get out. I want to start my new life."

He nodded. "I do, too. I know my Ma wants to check out the apartment at some point. I think Dad said he wanted to check it out, too. I don't know. What about your parents?"

Courtney closed her eyes once more and wrapped her arms around him. "They don't want me living in an apartment, much less with you," she softly said. "They'd prefer I live in a dorm. Of course, they're not paying for anything since I'm getting a full ride to UT..."

He nodded, softly rubbing her back. "They should be happy you're going to college and you're on your way to pursuing an amazing career..."

She smiled, kissing his cheek. He looked at her and returned the smile. They continued to sit there, looking into each others eyes and smiling at each other. She finally softly asked, "You want to see what I got you for our anniversary?"

He shrugged. "I guess." He smirked when she glared at him. He kissed her forehead before cupping her face in his hands. His teal eyes stared directly into her dark brown ones. "You know I would love to see your present."

She smiled, lightly pecking him on the lips. She reached behind her and grabbed her wrapped gift She placed it on his lap and said, "Open up."

He pursed his lips and carefully studied the present. He folded his arms and placed his index finger on his chin, tapping his softly.

"What are you doing?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm trying to guess what you got me," he said, still carefully looking at the present.

She gaped at him. "_Seriously_?" she asked. "Just open the present!"

He smirked at her. "It drives my family insane when I do that on Christmas, so I wanted to see how you'd react."

She rolled her eyes, though an amused smile now laid on her face. "So are you going to open it?"

"That's the problem," he started, earning a groan from his girlfriend. "I normally just tear open presents, but yours is so nicely wrapped and I wouldn't to mess that up..."

"Shall I open the present for you?" she teased.

He rolled his eyes, smirking at his girlfriend. "Nah. Do you mind if I tear it open?"

"I just want you to open it, honestly. I don't care how you open it."

He then proceeded to tear off the wrapping paper. He chuckled when he saw that it was a simple picture frame. The picture that was what made him smile. It was a picture of them from earlier in the week when they went to the beach. It was a picture he took of the two of them with her camera. The picture was perfectly centered, with their faces close to the camera. Both were wearing sunglasses, for it was bright at the moment, and both were broadly smiling. He remembered that moment exactly. They were walking along the boardwalk after spending a few hours at the beach. He looked over at her one moment and thought about how beautiful she looked then, and wanted to take a picture of her. She was bashful at first, insisting that they take a picture together, so he took one of the two of them. He loved that picture, and was happy that she framed it for him.

He looked at her, fondly smiling. "Thank you, Princess."

She blushed, coyly shrugging. "I know, I didn't get you much..."

"Hey," he softly said. "I happen to like this picture. A lot." He smiled and asked, "Wanna hear something cheesy?" When she giggled and nodded, he said, "I'm gonna put it right next to my bed so you'll always be next to me while I'm sleeping..."

She threw her head back and began to laugh. "That is cheesy," she agreed, still laughing slightly.

He chuckled. "You know where you should put the pictures I gave you?"

"Hmm?"

"Above your bed."

She curiously stared at him. "And why is that?"

"So I'll always be looking down at you."

She gaped him. "What?"

He blinked before saying, "Okay, that sounded so harsh..."

She let out an exasperated laugh before saying, "I understand what you meant. While it sounded a bit mean at first, it also sounded super creepy."

He chuckled. He then looked at her clothes and noticed she was wearing a pair of jeans and a solid three-quarter length shirt. Thinking that was what she would be wearing, he asked, "Where are we going for dinner?"

"Somewhere nice," she teased, winking at him.

"You're wearing that?" he asked, gesturing towards her outfit with his hand.

She shook her head. "Nope. I wanted to wait until you got here to change."

He grinned. "You gonna put on a show...?"

She rolled her eyes, smiling. She leaned close to him and said, "Not until later."

He grinned. "I can't wait."

* * *

After dinner, the two of them decided to just lay down and stare up into the sky. Yes, they were in her backyard, and they were laying down on a blanket. Both were laying on their backs. Duncan had his arms crossed behind his head, and Courtney's arms were crossed below her chest. Both were laying side-by-side, her head resting under his arms on his chest.

"Do you stare at the stars a lot?" he softly questioned.

"Sometimes," she admitted. "Mostly from my room, though. I'll open my window, sit on the windowsill, and just stare." She shrugged. "What about you? Are you a star-gazer?"

He chuckled. "Kind of. Sometimes I'll sit on the back porch and look out, sometimes I'll pull a chair into the yard... Sometimes Ma joins me, and we'll just sit there and talk and talk and talk... One time we talked until 3AM. She got so mad because I had to go to school in a few hours, and she had to be at work in a few hours as well."

She giggled. Another thing she admired about Duncan was his relationship with his Mom. They were as close to being best friends without really being best friends. She often yearned for that kind of relationship with her own Mom. Her yearning was more prominent when she was younger, but around the age of fourteen or fifteen, she partially gave up the thoughts and the hopes. She was glad to have people like Duncan, Bridgette, and some of her other friends in her life. She could confide in these people, and, with the exception of Duncan's playfulness at times, they wouldn't judge her.

"Did you have a good time tonight?" she softly asked, turning her head and looking at him.

He nodded, turning his head to look at her. "It was nice. The food wasn't the best, but it wasn't crap, either."

She nodded in agreement. "Yeah. I've had better food from places with prices like that, but..." She shrugged once more. She continued looking at him as he focused his attention back to the sky. He looked so thoughtful, and she wondered what he was thinking about. Was he thinking about her? Was he thinking about their relationship? She wanted to ask him, but at the same time, she didn't want to break the peaceful moment.

She smiled when he placed one of his arms around her, his hand resting on her waist. She brought one of her hands closer to him and laced her fingers through his. She snuggled closer to him, closing her eyes. She told herself, she could stay like this forever. Her and the love of her life, laying down, basically holding each other in silence. No words needed to be spoken-

"Your parents are staring at us."

She giggled. Okay, so she didn't mind talking, either. But silence was always a virtue. She didn't bother opening her eyes, though. While her eyes were closed, it felt like they were the only two people in the world. Well, her backyard was a wide, open space, and they were the only two people in it. She asked him, "Are you staring back?"

"Nah," he muttered. "I just looked back for a second and there they were, standing in the window..."

"You know what would be funny?" she asked, opening her eyes and looking at him.

"What?" he asked, looking back down at her.

"We could fake an argument, and then get back together in the morning. You'd leave all angry, I'd run up to my room upset..."

He smirked at her, though he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Seriously? You'd want to do that?"

"I didn't say we'd have to do it," she explained. "I just thought it'd be funny. It would drive my parents nuts, that's for sure."

He chuckled. "I know Pa wouldn't like that too much, but Ma would probably get a kick out of it. I wouldn't want to try that around my parents, though. They'd get mad at me. Now, unless you were the one yelling and I'd be the upset one..."

"You couldn't be upset," she teased.

He rolled his eyes. "Okay, next time you come over, let's try that. Then we'll see who can and can't be upset."

**A/N: ...boring chapter is boring? I started to write the first Aftermath when I realized I needed to write this. I hope you all like it, though! And keep up the reviews! The more, the merrier, and the more I get, the quicker I write! For the most part, anyway. The next chapter is mostly written out, but I would like to put up another one for "Best of the Rest" first before a next chapter for this story. We'll see how the creative juices flow today and tomorrow. Thanks!**


	21. Niagara

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

**A/N: Apparently, I forgot my own storyline - the Aftermath came after Niagara Falls! So that almost-done chapter will have to wait. I have to post their trip first! This is just part one. The whole thing will be either two or three chapters, depending on how much I feel like writing, heh. And, a warning: Slightly mature scenes ahead. As usual, I won't put a warning before or after those scenes - I don't like writing in the middle of chapters, heh. Thanks for the reviews! Enjoy!**

"Hey, babe, where are you?" Duncan asked, sitting down on a bench and resting her head on top of his suitcase.

"What do you mean, where am I?" Courtney asked, looking around, clutching the handle of her suitcase. "I'm in the lobby like we agreed on! Where are you at?"

"I'm by the platform like we agreed on," he slowly said.

"Well, I need my ticket to get onto the platform," she muttered, turning around and walking towards the platform.

"Uh, no you don't," he told her. "You need the ticket to get onto the train. My parents are right here beside me..."

She sighed and muttered, "Okay. I'll be there in a minute." She turned around and told her confused parents, "He's at the platform." She ignored their quiet mutters and continued walking forward. She wasn't really mad, just more frustrated. She was happy to hear that he was actually there at the station, though. Her heart started pounding against her chest. A smile slowly formed on her face. She as truly excited to see her boyfriend, and was extremely excited to be going on vacation.

She soon found the platform and saw her boyfriend sitting there, his head resting on top of his suitcase. He head was turned, and he was drumming his fingers against the side of his suitcase. His parents were nowhere in sight, much to her dismay. He still wouldn't look up as she got closer to him.

"Isn't that Duncan?" her Mom questioned, also noticing Duncan's lack of acknowledging them.

Courtney nodded. She stood on the other side of him, in the opposite direction. She sat down and just stared at him.

Finally, he turned around. He had a suspicious look on his face until he saw his girlfriend. A grin broke out on his face as he said, "Hey, Princess!"

She rolled her eyes, watching him take out his earbuds. "Hey, darling," she said. "Do you have our tickets?"

He nodded, smirking at her. "I wouldn't forget our tickets, babe." He looked at her parents and smiled. "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Richardson."

"Hello, Duncan," they responded. Courtney's Mom asked, "Where are your parents?"

"They had to go back to work," Duncan informed them.

Her Mom leaned down and kissed her daughter's cheek. "You have fun," she quietly told her daughter.

Courtney nodded, smiling at her Mom. "I will."

"Now, what time are you getting back Sunday?" her Dad asked.

"Around three?" Courtney asked, looking at Duncan for a more definite answer.

Duncan nodded. "Around 2:45."

Courtney and her parents said their good-bye's to each other. When they were gone, Courtney reached over and grabbed Duncan's hand. He looked over at her and saw that she was smiling happily at him. She asked him, "Are you ready to get on the train?"

He nodded, standing up. He grabbed his bag and led the way towards the train. He turned to look at her. He softly asked, "Are you excited?"

She happily nodded, a smile plastered on her face. "I'm very excited! I've never been to Niagara Falls before."

"That's why we're going on this trip," he teased. She playfully stuck her tongue out at him. Smirking, he rolled his eyes and told her, "I almost re-pierced my tongue last week."

"Are you serious?" she asked, stopping in front of the train.

He nodded, muttering, "Mmhmm..." He giddily smiled and asked, "Can we sit on the upper-level?"

She giggled, surprised that he was that excited about sitting on the upper level of the double-decker train. "Whatever you want, baby."

Duncan grabbed her bag and quickly headed up the stairs. Courtney smiled, following him. He turned around and asked, "Where do you want to sit?"

She shrugged. She pointed to a set of chairs in front of them and said, "Let's sit there."

Though it took a few minutes, they were both sitting down, and their luggage was standing beside them. Courtney had her legs propped on his legs. He was texting on his phone with one hand, the other hand resting on her leg.

"So..." she started, a smirk slowly forming on her face.

He looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "So...?"

"You were going to re-pierce your tongue?"

He nodded, smirking. "I was. Then I looked up the side-effects and how to really take care of it and such..."

"You didn't know about that stuff before?" she asked, raising an eyebrow herself.

"Kinda." He shrugged. "One of my old friends pierced my tongue way back when. You remember me having it on the show, yeah?"

She nodded, a small blush rising on her cheeks. "I do," she softly said, remembering the moment where they were able to sneak away and make-out. She remembered the feeling of his pierced tongue in her mouth, and while it was strange, it felt good as well.

He smirked once more. "Of course you do. Now, I was looking up all of this stuff... And I wouldn't pierce my tongue. Apparently, I'm supposed to wait six weeks to make-out with anyone or do any other sorts of oral sex-related stuff."

"Since when do you follow the rules?" she asked, smirking.

"Since the page also mentioned my tongue would be swollen up to a week," he pointed out, pointing a finger at her. "I thought of this idea, like, four days ago."

She nodded, leaning back in her seat. She leaned her head against the window, still looking at her boyfriend. "So what are we doing when we get there?" she asked.

He shrugged. "It'll be three, so we can check into the hotel. Um... We can go out tonight or just hang at the hotel or whatever. I don't care. I'd rather start using the pass tomorrow, though."

She nodded. "I agree. Of course, I have to call my parents when we get there."

"Oh, mine, too. Ma wants me to check in when we switch over to the bus in Burlington. She's really paranoid; she thinks I'm running away with you."

Courtney giggled. "She thinks I would just take you away?"

Duncan chuckled. "More like, she thinks I've convinced you to run away with me. Or that I've kidnapped you."

* * *

"Oh, my God... Duncan, this is beautiful!"

Duncan softly chuckled. He looked up to see his girlfriend standing at the window, wondrously staring outside. She was right, their view of the Falls from their room was pretty amazing. "It is pretty cool," he quietly said before letting out a yawn.

She turned around, sitting on the windowsill. "Are you alright?"

He nodded, smiling apologetically. "I went to bed super late and got up super early."

"And why did you do that?" she asked, getting up and walking over to him. She stood beside him and started softly rubbing his back.

"I just couldn't sleep last night," he muttered. "And then I had to wake up early to go with Ma and Pa to work. Well, I got to sleep in the car for a while, but they kept pulling people over so they kept turning the sirens... They let me give a ticket to someone."

Courtney laughed. "No way."

"Uh, yes way!" Duncan defended. "I was so angry at one point. I was just about fall asleep and then these people would just not stop or whatever. My folks were so confused at first, wondering why I was angry. So, I told them why, and they let me give the ticket to the person. Well, after they told me all the information. They knew I would start banging on the window and start yelling at them. Oh, and Pa gave me a bit of his uniform. His hat, his badge, his flashlight..."

Courtney continued to laugh. She shook her head and muttered, "Oh, Duncan..."

"It was fun. They were so stupid. They were, like, '_Oh, officer, we totally weren't speeding_', and I'm telling them, '_Tell that to my radar gun!_'"

She snorted. "Nice."

"I know, right."

"So why don't you lay down for a while?" she asked. "I need to take a shower, and I'm sure you would like to get a few extra Z's..."

"But I wanna shower with you..." he muttered, his voice slightly whine-y.

She rolled her eyes. "Do whatever you want, but I don't want to have sex right now."

He let out another yawn before muttering, "I guess sleep wins..."

She laughed before leaning forward and giving him a soft kiss. "Just rest up, okay? Hopefully you'll sleep better tonight as well..."

He returned the kiss and muttered, "Thanks, babe."

She nodded, smiling. She walked over to her bag and got out her towel and shower bag before walking into the bathroom. She wasn't too particularly fond at how big the room was. It had two main rooms, the bedroom and the living room, and then the bathroom itself was kind of big, with the whirlpool being in a separate room from the bathroom. She shut the door after walking into the bathroom, and set her things down on the counter. She walked over to the shower and turned it on, fiddling with the knobs so the water would be the perfect temperature. She took off her clothes and also set them on the counter before getting into the shower.

The hot water felt so good on her body. As she washed her hair and body, she couldn't help but think about so many things. Things like their vacation, their apartment, and school popped into her head. She was so happy to be spending alone time with Duncan, somewhere that may not be too far away from home, but was far enough. During this trip, they didn't have to worry about their parents catching them doing anything, or have to worry about anybody catching them doing something in either of their cars. Well, he didn't care so much, for there was more worrying on her end.

They had both filled out applications for the apartment. The place had immediately accepted her, but took an extra day to accept Duncan. They weren't too sure about him because of his his criminal record and him not exactly having a job, but after talking to her, they decided to allow him to live there. Both were thrilled to be moving in together. Yes, her parents gave her a good life, and they always allowed her to do what she wanted. When she wanted to take dancing classes as a child, they signed her up for the best class. The same thing happened with gymnastics, violin lessons, swimming, and other hobbies she wanted to take up. They put her in an amazing school, one of the best in Toronto.

But, her parents pushed her.

A lot.

She was expected to have top-of-the-class grades. She had gotten a couple of B's, both in middle school. Her parents weren't angry, they were just disappointed. For a while, before she started seeing a counselor, she was convinced getting anything below an "A" was a horrible atrocity. The counselor helped her realize that it wasn't so bad, that it's okay to get grades below an "A". Her parents taught her proper etiquette, and expected her to act in such a way everywhere, everyday. Her ex-boyfriend, Josh, was perfect in their eyes. He was tall, only a couple of inches shorter than Duncan, blue eyes, brown hair, tan-skinned, smart, intelligent, well-spoken... He was good-looking and smart. He was an ideal husband! When they dated, she thought so herself. But, there was always something off about him, and that's why she never completely gave herself up to him. She had gotten close a couple of times, though. Then he cheated on her... While she was upset, part of her wasn't surprised. Her parents were shocked, though. She didn't give them all the details - all they needed to know was that he cheated on her.

Duncan was not perfect in her parents eyes. Oh, he was far from perfect, from his thuggish looks to his awful attitude. True, she wasn't too charmed by that at first, but she realized soon that she should know better than to completely judge someone by their looks. His attitude drove her insane in the beginning. He slowly grew on her, just as she slowly grew on him.

She never told him, but their almost year-long separation really got to her. Yeah, she was able to continue to watch him while staying at Playa des Losers, but once they left... He was always in her mind, in her thoughts, in her dreams. She desperately wanted to see him, or even call him. Her inner-self rejoiced when he found her on Facebook. It was as if they had picked up right where they left off... But it wasn't enough.

A knock at the door brought her out of her thoughts. "Court?"

She smiled. She stepped forward and peeked her head through the side of the curtain. "Yeah?" she asked, looking at her boyfriend.

"Sleep lost," he simply told her, walking into the bathroom. He took off his shirt and threw it on the floor. "I'm joining you."

She smiled, shrugging. "Sounds like a plan." She watched him pull down his shorts and looked at his body. While his muscles weren't that huge, they were prominent. His arms were solid and firm. His chest was very toned, with his six-pack and his smooth lower stomach...

"So, babe, I've got a pickup line for you."

She snapped her head up, not realizing until then how hard she was staring at him. "Hmm?"

He knew she was staring at him. It wasn't like she hadn't seen him naked before. He didn't mind it too much, though. He stepped into the shower, also admiring the view that was in front of him. "Smile..." He made sure she began to smile, which only took a couple of seconds, before continuing, "If you wanna sleep with me."

Normally, her smile would falter and she would either roll her eyes or make some sort of comment. She couldn't help but giggle, though.

He chuckled and said, "Well, then..."

"I've got one for you."

An intrigued look popped up on his face. "Oh, really?"

She nodded. She leaned close to him, her fingertips resting on his chest. "I love every bone in my body... Especially yours."

He went from confused to shocked. She was already turning him on just by being wet and naked, and now she says this? "Ooh, baby," he growled, grabbing the back of her head and giving her a passionate kiss. She gasped against his kiss, not expecting that action. She soon melted into the kiss, as she shut her eyes and kissed him back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and wrapped her leg around his torso, causing the front of their bodies to be completely touching. They both opened their mouths, allowing them to further explore their mouths.

She could feel his member erect against her leg, and even higher. She slowly moved her hip, softly grinding it against his hip and member. He let out a moan, softly breaking the kiss. "_Fuck_," he breathed.

"Lay down," she softly told him, staring him dead in the eye.

* * *

Courtney rested her forehead against Duncan's, her breathing quite erratic. He looked up at his girlfriend, slowly but surely catching his breath. Her legs were still straddling his lap, her arms were resting on his shoulders. Sure, they were breathless after sex, but she seemed too worn out.

"Are you okay?" he murmured, his hands lightly massaging her waist.

She nodded. She smirked at him and jokingly muttered, "I haven't done this for a few days."

He chuckled, kissing her cheek. "I'm serious, babe."

"I know." She took a deep breath, letting out a few shaky breaths, and said, "I'm starving. I didn't mean to not eat today, I just... I was excited and terrified about this trip."

He nodded, wrapping his arms around her waist and keeping her close to him. He gently rubbed her back, closely watching her. Her stomach still shakily moved as she continued breathing. He quietly asked, "Do you wanna get out?"

She nodded. She held onto him as they slowly stood up. A tiny scream emitted from her mouth as she slipped. Thankfully, he tightened his grip around her so she wouldn't fall too much.

"You know what?" he said. "Let me grab a towel for you."

She nodded. "Okay."

He found a towel hanging near the counter and wrapped it around his waist. He saw Courtney's towel and handed it to here. "Here, babe."

She took the towel from him, smiling. As she wrapped it around herself, she said, "Thank you."

He nodded, leaning against the wall. "You bet." He tilted his head slightly, furrowing his eyebrows. "Oh, shit," he muttered, sprinting out of the room.

"Duncan!" Courtney exclaimed, her eyes wide.

"My parents are calling your phone! Where is it?"

"In my purse!"

She sighed in relief when he found her phone. She took a deep breath before stepping out of the shower. While keeping a hold of counters, walls, whatever she could reach, she made her way out of the bathroom. She was able to walk normally once she got out of the bathroom, albeit slowly. She saw Duncan sitting on their bed, staring out the window as he quietly talked on the phone. She joined him on the bed, but instead of sitting next to him, she laid on the bed behind him. She rested her head on her arm, mystically staring out the window. The view from their room was astonishingly beautiful, and she had no one but Duncan to thank for that.

Suddenly, Duncan leaned over and laid on the bed next to her. He turned towards her, smirking. Courtney smiled at her boyfriend and laid her head on his chest, wrapping her arm around him.

"Yeah, Court's right here..." He patted Courtney's back and said, "Ma says 'hello'."

"Tell her I said 'hello'," Courtney softly said.

"She says you can suck it." He laughed. "Of course she didn't say that... I'm serious. She actually likes you - Oh, Ma, gotta go. Court's folks are on the other line." He groaned, causing Courtney's curious expression to turn into a smirk. "Yeah, I love you... I have to go!" He switched the line and quickly handed the phone to his girlfriend.

"Hello?" Courtney asked.

"_Courtney_!" It was her Mom. "_Where have you been_?"

"I just got out of the shower," Courtney explained.

"_Why didn't you call us when you go there_?"

"Well, I was rather excited about being here, and then the check-in process took forever..."

"_Well, at least you made it there safely. Your Father and I were really worried for a while here_."

"I'm sorry. I'll make sure to call sooner next time."

"_Of course. Are you and Duncan doing anything tonight_?"

"I think we're going to go out to eat in a little while, but that's it," Courtney muttered, watching her boyfriend get off the bed.

"_That sounds like fun. Well, I have to go, for your Father and I are heading out for the evening as well. You take care, and we love you_."

"I love you, too. Bye."

Courtney hung up her phone, sighing. "I don't wanna get up," she murmured, watching her boyfriend change into some clothes.

Duncan chuckled, turning around. "And what should we do about that?"

"Baby, I just want to order room-service."

"Sounds like a plan, babe."


	22. Sudden Decisions

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

**A/N: Eugh, my shortest chapter in a long time! Hopefully this will suffice for everyone. I'm having a bit of a block for both of my stories, but I already have most of the next chapter for this story written out (just because I forgot my own storyline for a second, haha), so I'll post that within the next day or two before continuing with "Best of the Rest"... Thank you all for the reviews! Please, please keep them up! Thanks!**

Duncan and Courtney's trip to Niagara Falls was quite the vacation. They enjoyed every single second of their time together. They got to explore many of the attractions in the area, including the Skylon Tower, Whirlpool Aero Car, Niagara SkyWheel, Queen Victoria Park, the Fireworks over the Falls, and their favorite, the Maid of the Mist. They only had two days, Friday and Saturday, to explore the area, so they made sure to cram in every thing they could.

Both were fine going home, but neither wanted to go back to not being together. After spending these days and nights together, neither wanted to spend another night away from each other. Both basked in the feeling of waking up in each others arms, their naked bodies pressed up against each others. Every morning, they would wake up and quietly talk to one another, softly caressing one another, giving each other soft kisses.

They were currently on the train back from Toronto. They knew they were passing through the Eastern neighborhoods, and even the announcer announced, "Union Station - Five minutes."

Courtney's embrace on Duncan tightened. He gently stroked her back and quietly told her, "You know, I'm all up for kidnapping you."

"I have to work tonight," she quietly said, smiling at him.

"I could always kidnap you after work," he said, smirking.

She laughed. "Yes, so the police can discover my abandoned car and send you right back to jail for kidnapping me."

"You're 18, and I know you're not against this idea."

She shrugged, letting out a sigh as their train began to slow down. He brought her closer to him. The way they were touching was almost uncomfortable, for they were almost squishing each other, but neither minded that fact. He continued to stroke her back, his touches soft and gentle. He rested his head on top of hers, reaching up and running his hand through her hair. He quietly told her, "I love you."

She looked up at him, smiling. "And I love you," she softly said, leaning up and softly kissing him on the lips.

As much as they didn't want to, when the train stopped, they gathered their bags and headed off the train. He would be meeting his parents outside, and she would be meeting hers in one of the lobby's. They walked hand-in-hand away from the platform, but as they got closer to the lobby, Courtney stopped, causing Duncan to look back at her. She was staring ahead, her face contemplative and sad. He looked in the direction she was staring at, and saw her parents standing there. They weren't looking in the teen's direction, but Duncan had a feeling Courtney figured they would see them soon enough.

"I had a lot of fun on this trip," she softly said, looking up at her boyfriend.

He smiled, reaching over and cupping her cheek in his hand. "Are you in a hurry to get back home?"

"Uhh..." She shrugged, cautiously looking back at her parents. "I don't know... I have to work in two-ish hours..."

He grabbed her arm and gently pulled him away from the middle of the hallway. Once they reached a side, he said to her, "I'm gonna make a phone call real quick. Okay?"

She slowly nodded, unsure of what he was referring to. She opened her purse and got out her phone, seeing if there were any new messages on there. Her Mom had sent her a text minutes a couple of minutes prior, which read:

_Are you back in Toronto?_

Courtney replied back with:

_Just got back. Duncan and I are talking. I'll be there in a second._

She knew her Mom wouldn't be happy with the response, but at least she had replied to her Mom instead of shrugging off the text message.

"Hi, this is Duncan Evans. My girlfriend and I had gotten approved for your complex over a week ago, and we were wondering if there were any apartments available for the first..."

Courtney looked up at her boyfriend, shocked. Did he seriously just ask that? The first was in eleven days!

"That's great... Um, just a one-bedroom... Oh, well, that's fine. It is small, right?" He laughed, looking down at his shocked girlfriend and winking at her. "Yeah... I'm sure it's fine. We'll take it."

Courtney's hands flew up to her mouth. She tried smiling, but her face crumpled from the emotions. She buried her head in Duncan's chest as he pulled her closer to her. She let out a few shaky shudders, wrapping her arms around him.

"Cool. I'll be there tomorrow... Uh, I think she's available...?" he murmured, looking down at Courtney questionably. When she nodded, he said, "Yeah, we'll both be there tomorrow... Awesome. Cool. Thank you!"

"H-honey, that's in eleven days," Courtney quietly said, trying to control her emotions. Yes, she was excited - very, very excited - but the idea was so overwhelming. This was so sudden!

"I know," Duncan simply said, shrugging. "We don't have to move in then... It's just there for us whenever we need it. I'll definitely be moving in then."

"You will?"

He nodded, shrugging. "I'm ready to go. What about you? When do you think you'll move in?"

Courtney remained silent for a few moments. There was no reason she couldn't move in with him on that day. She could easily pack up all her belongings in that timespam. But, she was terrified. She loved Duncan, with all of her heart, and even though they were seriously discussing this, this was a huge step. But, as she thought these thoughts, she was shocked to even be thinking these thoughts. She gave up a lot to him, and he did so much for her. He gave her a promise ring!

She looked up at him and smiled. "The first sounds wonderful."

* * *

"Aah, it feels good to be home..."

Suzie smiled at her son as he fell onto the couch. She sat on the arm of the couch and gently stroked his head. "So, honey, how was your trip?"

"It was good," Duncan muttered, turning his head so he wouldn't be muttering into the couch. He sat up, propping his hands on the couch. He looked at his Ma and quietly said, "I've got some news for you."

Suzie stopped storking his head. She blinked a few times, very much worried. Was there something wrong with one of them? Did they break up? Oh, God - was Courtney pregnant?

"Now, don't freak out..." Duncan said.

"I'm not mad," she immediately said, quickly sliding onto the couch and wrapping her arms around his son. "Yes, you two should have been more careful, but... Courtney's not dropping out of school, is she?"

"What?" he muttered. "What are you talking about?"

"How far along is she?"

"I still don't - Oh... Ma, Court's not pregnant."

His Ma let out a happy laugh, hugging her son even tighter. "Oh, that's wonderful!"

"Ma, you're squishing me."

She let go of her son, still smiling. "So, what's the news?"

"I'm moving out."

Mrs. Evans' smile quickly faltered. Duncan frowned slightly. To say she was a mess when Dylan moved out was a bit of an understatement. She was continuously crying and just going nuts over her oldest son moving out. Duncan and his Ma were a lot closer than her and Dylan, and he was moving out to be with his girlfriend, not to go to college. He knew she would have a harder time dealing with his departure.

"Oh, sweetie..." Suzie sighed, looking away as the tears formed in her eyes. "Where are you going?"

He hated to mess with his Ma, but she was setting herself up for it. Did she really think he was moving away from everyone? He told her, "California."

"Cali-" She turned to him and narrowed her eyes. "You are not moving to California."

He shook his head, a calm expression on his face. "I'm not moving to California."

"Are you staying in town?" she softly asked.

He pursed his lips, half-shrugging. "Kind of," he muttered. "I'm moving to Toronto."

"Does Courtney know?"

He knowingly stared at the woman before him. "Ma... Yes, she knows. We're moving in together. You knew we were going to do this."

"I didn't realize you were doing that so soon!" she said, reaching forward and rubbing his arms.

"We, um... Well, I kinda decided this today..."

She incrediously looked at him. "'_You_'? Please tell me you told Courtney about this!"

"Yes!" he said, glaring at her slightly. "Of course she knows! It took her a second to move in the same day as me..."

"So you were going to move in with or without her?"

He full-on glared at her. "Ma, why are you arguing with me?"

"Maybe I'm just upset you're moving," she grudginly muttered. "I don't want you to go."

"At least it'll be easier with me moving? You got all that crying out of the way when Dylan moved..."

Suzie sighed, reaching forward and grabbing her son's hands. "Duncan," she softly said, looking down. "You and I... We've always had a special bond. You know that. It's a little more heartbreaking to see my son wander on his own when only ten years ago you were clinging to me, wanting me everywhere you went..."

He softly chuckled. He shrugged and muttered, "I'm not going too far..."

"I know..." she muttered, smiling at her son. "Well, we've got a few days before you leave... I don't want you leaving this house unless I accompany you."

"That won't happen," he said, giving her a knowingly look. "I have to head to the complex tomorrow to finalize everything."

"Well, then I'm coming with you. I told you I wanted to check out the place, anyway."

* * *

"Wow, this is really nice... It's nice, spacious, and it's got a patio! Oh, I wish my first apartment had a patio..."

Courtney and Duncan looked at each other, goofily smiling. Both were amused at how his Mom was wandering around, seeming to really like the apartment.

"So how much was the rent again?" Mrs. Richardson asked. Courtney's Mom also wanted to check out the apartment, so she drove herself and her daughter to the complex.

"Nine twenty-five," Duncan explained.

Her Mom slowly nodded. She took her phone out of her pocket and said, "Excuse me for a moment."

Duncan smiled at Courtney, who returned the smile. He pointed to the patio and asked, "Wanna join me out there for a second?"

Even though she was smiling, she pretended to be shocked he was asking so politely. "Why, sure!"

He chuckled as they stepped outside. He leaned over the railing, smiling in content. "It feels so good out here..."

"It doesn't feel like June," she agreed, standing beside him.

"So how did your Mom react to the news?" he softly asked.

She shrugged. "Another secret revealed meant another argument. She really thinks I'm throwing my life away. I told her that I wouldn't be with you if I thought that. I reminded her I have better judgement than that."

"Then...?"

She smirked at him. She turned around and closed the door before returning to him. "Then she kept going on about rude and such you were, and kept bringing up stuff from the shows. I..." She laughed before continuing, "I told her it was an act. A lot of us had this facade while on the two shows. It brought out the best and the worst in us. I told her even I had one, and she agreed, saying that I hadn't lost my attitude that I picked up last year."

He raised his eyebrows. "Really, now?"

She nodded, staring into the distance. "Yep. I told her I was moving and that that was final. She had no say in it. Well, I also reminded her that her and Dad weren't paying for my school, and that they probably wouldn't be paying for this, so their opinions didn't matter too much..."

"And she's still here today?" he asked, smirking.

She nodded, smiling. "Yep. She took me to breakfast and apologized."

"Did she mean it?"

Courtney shrugged. "I guess. This happens to us a lot, though, so it's hard to say if she just knows what to say or if she truly means it."

Duncan frowned slightly as he wrapped his arms around her shoulder. "I'm sorry," he murmured.

She shrugged once more. "It's okay. Just ten more days, baby. Then it'll be you and me."

"And the cat and the dog and the four children we have..."

She stiffened for a moment before loosening up and letting out a laugh. "Yep, because our two-bedroom apartment, that doesn't allow pets, can fit all of that."

He chuckled. "Okay, so I'll give our pets to Ma. No biggie. But we've still got Duncan Jr., Courtney Jr., and... Hmm..."

She giggled, wrapping her arm around him. "Courtney Junior is a horrible name, no offense. I'd rather not have children, but if we were to have any, Courtney Junior wouldn't even be on the shortlist."

"Aww, I thought it was cute."

"Duncan Junior is much cuter."

"We don't need two Duncan's in the house."

"You came up with their names!"

"I still think Courtney Junior is cute."

"We don't need two Courtney's in the house."

He chuckled, kissing the top of her head.

She looked up at him, a small smile on her face. "Look, Duncan," she softly started. "I know you're kidding around, but... I don't particularly want kids. Not right now, anyway. We don't need kids, anyway."

He smiled down at her, kissing her forehead. "We really don't need kids," he agreed. "You've got school, I've got..." He pursed his lips, thinking hard. "Oh, I dunno. I've gotta do something that kids can't get in the way."

"You've got work," she softly said.

He nodded. "Yeah, that."

"Can you believe it?" she softly asked. "This is our home."

"Well, I don't wanna live here forever..."

She nodded. "But for the next few years will suffice, right?"

"Oh, definitely."


	23. Troublesome First Aftermath

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

**A/N: Aftermath time! Finally! Haha. While I did include quotes from the first TDWT Aftermath here, I did change up a few things. You'll see them soon enough ;) Thank you for the reviews! We can do better. We've made it over 100! Enjoy!**

Duncan sighed, looking at the set before him. He sat in an audience chair as what looked like interns set up the stage for the first Aftermath show. He wasn't bummed about being there - no, he was rather excited about it. He wasn't excited about Geoff and Bridgette's inevitable encounter. He knew for a fact that Geoff hadn't seen or spoken to Bridgette yet since she got the boot.

He sighed before getting. He was told to get there early so he could get briefed on what would be going down, but he hadn't seen a producer or Geoff yet! He jogged down the steps and backstage, where he immediately stopped in his tracks. "Fuck," he whispered, glaring at the woman standing before him. Out of all the people he disliked, Blaineley had to be the one standing before him! He couldn't escape this woman when it came to this show!

"Aah, the star of the show..." Blaineley said, walking over to Duncan.

He glared at her. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Duncan, that is no way to treat your co-host..."

Co-host? Oh no. "I'm out," he said, holding his hands up. He pointed at Blaineley and said, "I'm not hosting with you! I don't know how you got Geoff off, but-"

"Duncan!"

Said man turned around watched his friend jog over to him. "Sorry, dude, didn't look at a clock for a while." Geoff glanced and Blaineley before doing a double-take. "Blaineley?" he asked.

"Hello, Geoffrey."

"Please don't call me that," Geoff said. "Um... Not trying to be rude, but what are you doing here?"

"I'm your new co-host," Blaineley explained, smirking.

Geoff looked at Duncan, shocked. "Dude!" he cried. "Why aren't you hosting anymore?"

"You're still hosting?" Duncan asked, confused.

Geoff slowly nodded. "Yes..."

"I thought she took your job," Duncan explained, scratching the back of his neck.

Geoff shook his head, laughing. "Dude, she can't take our jobs!"

"Is that so?" Blaineley asked.

"Duncan!"

Duncan turned away from the new female host, glad he was called away. He was surprised to see Courtney walking towards him. He furrowed his eyebrows and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Courtney sighed. "The producers kept leaving me messages, begging me to attend the Aftermath shows, or I'd be the only contestant to not show up in some form this season..."

He nodded, shrugging. "At least you get paid?"

She nodded. "It makes up for what I won't be making at work tonight."

He then walked to her side and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "I'm so glad you're here with me."

She nodded. The two of them were staring at Blaineley, who was jabbering away on her phone. "I'm not exactly the happiest to be here, since I really wanted this show out of my life as much as possible-"

"At least Chris isn't here," Duncan interjected. "Chef isn't here. There's no unnecessary drama."

Courtney patted her boyfriend's back. "I'm pretty sure '_unnecessary drama_' is staring at us right now," she quietly said about Blaineley. She looked up at him and said, "I have to go. I have to finish getting ready."

"That's right, they gotta put on your mask," he teased.

"That's right," she agreed, nodding. "They gotta put on my 'bitch' mask so I can live up to last season."

He wasn't really sure how to respond to that. He figured she wasn't serious, but he was still stumped.

She giggled and leaned up, kissing his cheek. "I'm just kidding," she softly said. She patted his chest and said, "Break a leg, baby. You'll do fine. I'm pretty sure you're meant to host this, since you're pretty good at talking shit."

* * *

"And welcome your hosts this season... Blaineley, Duncan, and Geoff!"

Duncan gave the camera a half-wave, Geoff cheered loudly, and Blaineley just smiled at the camera. Duncan was a bit shocked at how much the audience was cheering. Were they really that excited to be there?

"Is everyone ready for some totally dramatic Aftermath?" Geoff asked, prompting more cheers from the audience. "Again, I'm Geoff."

"I'm Duncan."

"And I'm Blaineley Stacey Andrews O'Halloran. You may recognize me from programs such as Celebrity Manhunt-"

"But, today, we're here to talk about Total Drama World Tour!" Geoff exclaimed.

"We've got all the dirt and drama from season three," Duncan said, smirking.

"Now, let's introduce our friends," Geoff said.

He was going to continue, but Blaineley asked, "You mean those bystanders who can't even play this season?"

Duncan rolled his eyes, while Geoff cautiously said, "Easy..."

"We really don't mind," Justin said, glancing away from his mirror temporarily.

"What?" Blaineley asked, surprised. When the rest of the peanut gallery shook their heads, she asked, "Seriously? None of you care?"

"Nope!" Beth said.

"I'm _so_ glad to be away from the game," Courtney said.

"It's nice to be away from Chris, Chef, and the drama," Trent explained.

"Well, I guess they're being honest..." Blaineley muttered. She turned to her two co-hosts and asked, "What about you two? Any regrets about not competing this season?"

"Nope," Duncan said, crossing his arms and shaking his head. "As I keep telling people, I won last season." He smirked when the audience erupted in cheers. "I saw no need to return."

"Dude, you could've won twice," Geoff pointed out.

Duncan slowly nodded. "True..." He shrugged. "I have a feeling I would've ended up like that one dude from this season who just quit."

"And you?" Blaineley asked, focusing her attention on Geoff.

"I'd way rather host this aftermath than suffer through more drama," Geoff explained, nodding.

"Care to demonstrate that with 'Truth or Hammer'?" Blaineley asked.

Duncan furrowed his eyebrows, confused. He had only been to the final Aftermath show the previous season, and hadn't watched any of the other ones. He did hear his Ma talk about some of the stuff that happened on those, and he thought she was joking around.

Geoff shrugged, but his face was a little nervous. "Sure, uh. Why not? Couldn't be happier." Suddenly, a hammer dropped down, causing Geoff to jump aside. "Whoa!"

Blaineley smirked, clearly pleased. "Nice moves, Geoff. Almost nicer than the moves Alejandro made on Bridgette."

Geoff murmured, "Happy, happy, happy! Happy, hap-" He let out more screams and jumped around as more things fell. Finally, he said, "Look at the time! Game over!" He nervously chuckled before continuing, "We better get on to our first segment, huh? We'll be spending time with everyone who's left the show since the season began."

"Well, all who we could find," Blaineley muttered.

Duncan smirked. "Two contestants aren't here. Ezekiel is just missing, and Todd just bailed on the game entirely."

"I think he moved out of the country," Geoff explained, returning to his spot on the couch.

"Whatever." Duncan shrugged.

"There have been non-confirmed sightings of Ezekiel, though," Blaineley said. "Here are a few clips that viewers have sent in."

They sat there, watching a few clips of Ezekiel's supposed sightings. During the last one, Ezekiel disappeared after appearing Chris' hot tub.

"I'm surprised Chris didn't scream like a girl," Duncan said, smirking. He was thinking of the clip where a camera busted Chris singing in the shower.

The audience laughed. Geoff chuckled and said, "Dude, Chris is so gonna get you for that."

Duncan looked dead at the camera and said, "Bring it on, McLean."

Continuing with the Ezekiel discussion, Blaineley said, "Camera shy? So not cool, Ezekiel."

"You just said 'Ezekiel' and 'cool' in the same sentence," Justin remarked. He laughed and said, "Hilarious!"

Geoff said, "Well, dude, this is kinda cool. And by 'cool', I mean 'mega creepy'."

Blaineley looked at the audience and said, "What do you all thnk? Real or fake?"

"Ghost!" Sadie said, prompting Katie to scream very loudly.

"Anyways..." Blaineley said. "On to our two guests for the show today!"

"Oh, yes, our _guest_ today," Geoff said, emphasizing the word "guest". "Harold!"

"I'm also talking about our other guest," Blaineley said.

"We have another guest?" Geoff nervously asked.

"Oh, yes we do, and you know this girl very well. Surfer, vegetarian, blonde..."

"A-and who was that again?" Geoff asked.

Beth exclaimed, "Bridgette, your girlfriend! The one who made out on TV with Alejandro and then kissed a pole! Remember?"

"And let's bring her out!" Blaineley said.

"Before we do that," Duncan interjected. He really did feel bad for his friend, so he wanted to prolong Bridgette's entrance. "I know that everyone gets a video montage of them shown when they appear on this show... I never got one. I want one."

"I was just thinking about that earlier!" Geoff said. "And, we made one for you. Shall we roll it?"

"_What_?" Courtney exclaimed. "That's _not_ fair! This isn't about _you_, Duncan!"

"Oh, you're just mad you never got one, either," Duncan retorted, turning to his girlfriend.

"You know, I thought of that, too," Geoff said, looking at the peanut gallery. "And, Beth, you didn't get one, either. Shall we play the ones we made for the two of you as well?"

Beth squealed. "I thought I'd never get one!"

Courtney shrugged, crossing her arms. "Why not."

"_What_?" Blaineley cried. "We have to introduce the real guests!"

"So, in order of elimination, we'll start with Courtney's, then play Beth's, then Duncan's," Geoff explained, completely ignoring his female co-host. "Play the videos!"

Duncan was honestly worried about Courtney's video. He was a bit surprised she willingly agreed to let them play the video. Then again, anything could happen on these shows, and he was sure that if she rejected the offer, Blaineley would become interested and suddenly start questioning her and such.

The video started out with Courtney's re-appearance, with him flirting with her. Her turning around was in slow-motion, and oddly enough had scary music attached to it. Duncan was a bit upset they played him falling over. That moment would haunt him for the rest of his life, he already knew it. He wasn't very fond of the rest of the montage; it showed a lot of the bad things that Courtney did, which included beating him in a few challenges, arguing with everyone, bringing up her lawyers and her unnecessary advantages, bringing out that list of problems that he had, yelling at him when she got voted off, and of course, the infamous clip of her saying, "Every King needs a Queen..."

He knew Courtney had changed so much, and that the show just really messed her up for a good minute there. He glanced over at Courtney when her clip ended, and she sadly staring at the screen. He sighed, realizing how much it really upset her. He figured she wanted to just get up and walk out of the studio and scream about how much she didn't want to be there. He admired he for not doing that. Then again, he was pretty much admiring himself, for he wanted to do the same thing.

After Beth's clip played, it was time for his clip to play. Duncan was rather excited to see what was displayed in his clip. He was rather pleased at how it started - him pranking Harold, helping win challenges, his acting... Then they just had to play those clips, those clips that made him incredibly angry. There was the one where he kissed Heather - blegh. He shuddered watching that clip. Then there was the one when he fell on top of Gwen... Oh, no. He didn't dare look in Courtney's direction. He knew about her fear of him leaving her for Gwen. His side of the story had been told - it was an accidental fall. The end. Yes, it looked bad, but he felt so awkward when it happened! Then there were some clips of some and Courtney...

He sighed, looking away from the video. He surely wasn't expecting clips like that. He pursed his lips slightly, realizing he was kind of stupid for expecting awesome clips of him. At least they showed the clip of him winning. That moment would forever be imprinted in his mind. He won! He suffered two summers of that shit!

"Well, those were certainly great, huh?" Geoff asked once the clips had ended.

"I'm not so sure Mr. Winner here liked them so much..." Blaineley said, carefully observing Duncan.

Duncan glared at Blaineley. "Today is not the time to focus on me." He paused before adding, "Apart from that minute or so. Now, it's time to bring out our first contestant... Oh, Doris!"

* * *

The rest of the Aftermath wasn't anything special. Yep, they got to interview Harold, where Duncan got to throw a few more teases at him. It took a few minutes to convince Bridgette to come out of her dressing room, but she finally came out and sang a song to Geoff, who couldn't be mad at Bridgette any longer. Blaineley seemed upset by the whole ordeal, and wanted Geoff and Bridgette to physically fight one-another.

Bridgette and Geoff.

_Fighting._

Duncan couldn't process that, and he knew Geoff couldn't, either, for the party boy was yelling heavily at Blaineley. Everyone in the peanut gallery watched Geoff and Blaineley storm off the stage, yelling at each other. Duncan just stared into the camera before shrugging. It was time to wrap up the show, anyway.

"Well, that was interesting," he muttered. "Anyways, I'm Duncan. The other two people, Geoff and Idiot Crazy Bitch, just walked off the stage. See you next time!"

He knew he'd be getting a mouthful about continuously calling Blaineley a "bitch". He knew his Ma will probably ask him to sit down so they could talk, his Pa would try to sneak the problem into the conversations, and he was almost positive he'd hear about on TV.

But who cares.

As soon as the director yelled "CUT!", Duncan bolted off the couch and ran backstage. He was so tired of this stupid show. It would have been a whole lot better if Blaineley wasn't there! Oh, how he despised that woman, with her fake blonde hair and her ugly face and-

"Duncan?"

He immediately stopped in his tracks. He let out a sigh, hoping to let out a bit of steam before talking to anyone. His girlfriend had just spoken to him. He didn't even realize anyone had followed him. He slowly turned around and saw Courtney standing there, her facial expression almost scared. "What's up?" he softly asked.

"This sucked," she muttered, crossing her arms.

He nodded. "It really did."

"How dare they show those videos of us! I can't believe they would do such a thing!"

"Really?" he honestly asked.

"Yes! Were you not upset at the videos of us?"

"Oh, I was. But, babe-"

"To think that Geoff actually came up with that... I was actually excited for a moment!"

"Hey-"

"Actually, I know Geoff wouldn't do that to us. Not after what he went through. It's those fucking producers. And Chris! Oh, I bet he had something to do with it..."

"_Courtney_!"

"_What_?"

"I was going to say, this is Total Drama." He paused, letting the name sink in. When she didn't seem phased, he continued, "Total Drama. As in... Too much drama. All this unnecessary drama."

"They still didn't need to show that!" she exclaimed, the tears finally brimming along the edges of her eyes. "Thanks to this show, I'll probably be known for the rest of my life as Canada's biggest teenage bitch! I can't believe they would do this to me!"

"Look, my video wasn't the best, either," he softly said.

She sniffed, wiping at her eyes. "I know," she softly said. "And you deserved a better video, too. Beth had a good one!"

"We were the most dysfunctional couple on the show," he softly said, smiling. "Of course we're going to have videos that aren't the best."

"We're not dysfunctional?" she quietly teased, softly smiling at him.

He chuckled, shrugging. "Not entirely. Not as much as we were on the show."

She nodded. She let out a sigh, rubbing her forehead. "Only three more of these..."

"Four," he muttered, holding up four fingers.

"What? Four? _Why_?"

"Three more Aftermath specials, and then a finale special."

She groaned, her face clearly upset. "Damn it!"

"I should start a Facebook petition..." he murmured, earning a questioning gaze from his girlfriend. "I want Blaineley out. I bet I could get a lot of people to join."

"I'll be the first... second person," she muttered, crossing her arms and nodding. She then smirked at her boyfriend and said, "Your family's not gonna be happy with you, after the way you treated her."

He shrugged, not seeming phased. "I don't care. She's a bitch-"

"But that's doesn't mean you have to call her one every chance you get," she explained.

He shrugged once more. "I know. It was fun, though."

"I bet your Dad will like hearing that..."

"He'll be fine."

She smiled at her boyfriend. "So, did you drive here?"

He shook his head. "The family gathered at Nonna's once more to watch this, so Ma dropped me off before heading over there. Did you drive?"

She nodded. "I don't think Mom and Dad watched, though. I'd be surprised if they did, anyway."

He nodded. He then glanced at his watch and muttered, "I should probably head outside..."

"I'll come with...?"

He nodded, reaching out for her to grab his hand. Once she did so, they started walking. Instead of walking towards the front, they were going towards the back of the studio, which confused Courtney.

"Why are we going this way?"

"To avoid everyone."

She nodded. "So, um..." She smiled softly before quietly saying, "Eight more days."

He squeezed hand, now also smiling. "Yep. Have you started to pack?"

She nodded. "A lot of my stuff is already packed. I need to pick up a few more boxes tomorrow."

"I've got the majority of my things packed, too."

"Well, I mean... If we're getting technical, then I've got maybe sixty percent of my things packed."

"Ninety."

"Ninety?"

He nodded as they stepped outside. "I've got nothing better to do now that my Ma insists I stay home all day."

"Does that suck?"

"Nah. At least Michelle and Brian have been able to come over. You can come over if you want, too."

"Mom says a week apart won't hurt us."

"So you're pretty much 'grounded', too?"

"Something like that. As long as I'm home when they're home, they're happy."

He nodded. He let out a sigh as he saw his Ma parked in the street. "Well, babe..."

"I'll call you," she softly said, smiling at him. "Does your family stay up late?"

"Uhh... I mean, no one will be home tonight..."

"Perfect."

He stared at her, confused. He didn't utter a word as he studied her face. The look she was giving him... Playful. Seductive. She was going to call him, tonight most likely, and it was a good thing nobody would be home...

Oh, his pants were feeling a bit tighter at this point.

"Well, damn, babe," he quietly said, leaning close to her. "Will your parents be home tonight?"

"My walls are thick," she quietly said, winking at him. "Plus, I sleep upstairs, and my parents sleep downstairs, on the other side of the house."

"You better scream my name," he huskily said in her ear.

"Oh, I'll be screaming," she whispered in his ear. "I've got a new toy I've been meaning to try out..."

She continued to seductively smirk at him as his Mom honked the horn of her car. He glared at her, though his eyes held a mischievous glint to them. "You better be glad my Ma's here."

"Or what?"

He glared at her. "Let's just say I wouldn't wait to make you scream."

"In front of everyone?" she asked, mocking shock.

He started walking away from her. He winked and said, "Oh, I love you, babe. You and your sexy, smartass attitude."

She winked, waving slightly at him. "I'll dress up pretty just for you."

"I won't." He winked at her and said, "I'll wear nothing. Just for you."

"Oh, that will eventually happen to me, too."

"Damn it!" he exclaimed, letting out a groan. "You keep throwing these replies at me!"

"You know, you can always walk away..."

He let out another groan and actually turned around, quickly walking away from his girlfriend. He was seriously getting turned on, and he wasn't too pleased about that since he was about to get in his Mom's car.

"I love you!" Courtney exclaimed.

"Yeah, yeah," Duncan murmured. He smirked before exclaiming, "Love ya, too!"


	24. Crash

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

**A/N: Thank you all for the reviews! Man... I started writing this chapter a long time ago. I knew I had to use this idea as soon as it popped into my head. Enjoy!**

"_Hi, I'm Dr. Mark, from the University of Toronto Hospital. I have some rather upsetting news to tell you. You're listed as one of the Emergency Contacts for a Mr. Duncan Evans, and I regret to inform you that he is in surgery because of a serious car crash_..."

_Crash._

She never expected to receive a phone call like that. She felt like she was going to suffocate, like she was about to stop breathing at any moment. She sat on her bed, paralyzed in shock and fear. She couldn't even speak for a few moments.

"_Miss... Are you still there_?"

"Yeah," she finally breathed out. "Thank you."

She hung up the phone, realizing, but not caring, that she sounded incomprehensible. In her head, she cursed life in general for being unfair and cruel. Her and Duncan were supposed to move into their new apartment in four days. Four days! She knew that definitely wouldn't be happening now. She placed the phone down on the bed, but couldn't move any more.

"Honey?" Her Mom knocked a couple of times before entering her room. "What would you-" She stopped after seeing her daughter, who was just staring out the window, a blank expression on her face. "Darling, what's the matter?" When Courtney didn't respond or even move, she immediately stepped in front of her daughter. She bent down on an eye-level and asked, "Courtney, what's going on?"

"Duncan got into an accident."

"What kind of accident?" her Mom questioned, frowning at the state her daughter was in because of the young man.

"It was a car accident. He's..." Courtney sighed before continuing, "He's in surgery right now."

"Oh, my God," her Mom breathed out. She immediately reached for her daughter's hands and said, "I'm sure he'll be just fine."

"Mom, he's in surgery..." Courtney shut her eyes and looked down. "I'm listed as an Emergency Contact. They wouldn't call me unless it was bad."

"Well, sweetie, when people are admitted in hospital's by themselves, usually their Emergency Contact's are reached," her Mom explained, squeezing her daughter's hands. "Do you know if they called his parents?"

"I'm sure they did..."

"Would you like me to call his Mom? Just to see if she knows anything else?" When her daughter shook her head, she asked, "Would you like to go to the hospital? I'll drive you."

Courtney didn't respond for a good twenty seconds. Should she visit Duncan at the hospital? When she was in there, he visited her, and when his jail-fight bruises got slightly infected, she accompanied him to the hospital. "Yeah," she finally said.

Her Mom smiled and said, "Let me call your Father. He's supposed to be getting home any moment now, but I don't want him to worry about where we're out. Meet me downstairs in a minute or two, okay?"

Courtney nodded and watched her Mom exit her room. She slowly stood up and grabbed her bag. She double-checked the contents of her bag, making sure her wallet and other necessities were in there. She grabbed her phone and put it in her pocket before exiting her room. She slowly made her way downstairs and resisted the urge to stop at the bottom and curl up against the railing.

"Alright, sweetie, let's go," her Mom said, opening the door and walking outside.

Courtney followed her Mom outside, not saying a single word. She got into the front passenger seat and buckled her seat belt. She shut the door and tightly held her purse on her lap.

"Did the Doctor or whoever you spoke to tell you what exactly is wrong with him?"

Courtney shook her head, quietly emitting, "No." She leaned her head against the window and shut her eyes. Suddenly her phone began to ring, and she frowned even more. She immediately know it was his parents. As a joke, Duncan set up an annoying ringtone in case his parents called. After setting it up, he said, "It's just a reminder for me not to answer the phone when we're out together." She sucked in her emotions and answered the call. "Hello?"

"_Hi, Courtney. It's Mrs. Evans... Duncan's Mom... I, um... I have some really bad news_..."

"Duncan's in surgery right now," Courtney quietly said.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line. "_How did you know_?" his Mom finally asked.

"The hospital called me," Courtney informed her boyfriend's Mom. "I'm listed as an Emergency Contact."

Another moment of silence was emitted before his Mom quietly said, "_Wow... Um, well, I'm glad you know_..."

"What happened?" Courtney quietly asked, her voice whisper-like.

"_Another car ran into his_," his Mom explained, causing Courtney to gasp. _"It hit his side of the car, unfortunately. The other driver was texting and didn't see that he had ran a red light or that other cars were in front of him_..."

"'_Other cars_'?" Courtney repeated. She was extremely upset at this news, and was scared to hear more.

His Mom sighed before continuing, "_Yes, other cars. Duncan's car got completely totaled. The other driver ran into Duncan's car, which ran into the other car beside him. Also, unfortunately, another car or two ended up hitting the back of Duncan's car, and the front of his car got damaged_..."

Courtney's heart was beating at an incredible rate. Her chest was heaving up and down. Her breathing was hard and erratic. Hearing all those details was making her physically sick, and was sending her into a fit of hysterics. She didn't even realize she dropped her phone as she said to her Mom, "Mom, please stop the car. I'm going to be sick."

* * *

"Sweetie, surgeries can take hours..."

"Mom, I want to be here when Duncan gets out of surgery."

Mrs. Richardson let out a sigh as she started down at her daughter. Her daughter had been sitting in the surgical waiting area ever since they arrived at the hospital. She pinched the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes. "Courtney, I don't have the time-"

"Then just go, Mom!" Courtney snapped, staring up at her Mom angrily. She cursed herself for showing weakness in front of her Mom. She felt the tears welling up in her eyes as she looked up at the older woman. "If you can't be bothered to stay here, then just go," she quietly, but sternly, said.

Mrs. Richardson let out another sigh, this one longer and more frustrated. "I don't think you understand, Courtney."

"No, Mom, I don't think you understand," Courtney said, narrowing her eyes at her Mom. "Duncan... He..." She blinked back the tears and had to control her sobs. "He needs me. I need him. I can't just leave him here. He's always been there by my side, despite the crap I once put him through. I... I want to be here, no matter what happens. I... I don't think anything bad will happen, but... I don't want to get another phone call..." She couldn't speak anymore. She instantly began to cry. She buried her head in her hands and cried. Sobs overtook her body.

She was a bit shocked that her Mom just left here in the waiting room, crying. At the same time, she wasn't surprised by her Mom's actions. She took a few deep breaths, not wanting to draw any unnecessary attention towards herself. She really didn't want anyone coming up to her, asking if she was "okay". She figured people would figure out she had recently been crying. Her eyes felt heavy, and she was sure they were puffy and red from crying. She wiped away her tears and thanked herself for not wearing any make-up that day.

She let out a sigh and let her hands fall into her lap. She looked down, a soft smile forming on her face. She stared at the ring that laid on her right ring finger. She could already feel the flutters in her stomach and her heart beating faster. The ring meant so much to her. She would cherish that ring until the moment she died, there was no doubt about that. While it definitely was a promise of greater things to happen in their relationship, it was also a promise to herself, one that she would never go against.

"Courtney?"

The teenager instantly looked up, smiling softly at Duncan's Mom. She could instantly tell that Mrs. Evans was recently crying, for her eyes were still red and puffy. She couldn't blame the older woman, though. Her son was in surgery after a horrible car accident. The thought turned Courtney's stomach even more. "Hello," she softly said, standing up. Mrs. Evans instantly engulfed Courtney in a hug. Courtney instantly hugged Mrs. Evans and quietly said, "I'm sorry..."

"There's no need to apologize," Mrs. Evans softly said. "It's not your fault. I'm... I hate to say this, but I'm glad you didn't accompany Duncan to Montreal..."

Courtney's stomach knotted up even more. She almost went with Duncan to Montreal, but couldn't get out of work because the trip was a last-minute idea. If she had went with him, she'd probably be in surgery as well. She began to cry once more, her head buried into Mrs. Evans shoulder.

"Oh, sweetie," Mrs. Evans said, gently rubbing Courtney's back. "I'm sorry I said that..."

Courtney couldn't even speak. She continued to cry, holding onto her boyfriend's Mom. She realized that if she had accompanied him on his trip, he may have avoided the accident. She knew it wasn't his fault, but if they were together, they may have arrived in Toronto later, after the accident had happened. She couldn't help but feel slightly guilty at this point.

"It's all my fault..." she murmured.

"No," Suzie sternly said, looking down at the teenager. "It's not your fault, Courtney."

"I could have told him to stay here," Courtney murmured. "Or-or I could have went with him-"

"And you could have been in that crash, too," Suzie softly said, continuing to gently rub the younger woman's back. "When the Doctor first called me, I blamed myself for the longest time. My husband finally had to sit me down, because I just kept pacing back and forth, and he told me that it wasn't any of our faults. The guy who ran into him - it's his fault."

Courtney nodded, sniffing a few times. She stepped back slightly, wiping her fallen tears. "You're right," she murmured. She looked up at Duncan's Mom and asked, "How long has he been in surgery?"

"Since he got here," Mrs. Evans said. "So... Um, maybe an hour and a half ago?"

Courtney nodded, letting out a sigh. "Do you think he'll be okay?" she softly asked.

Mrs. Evans shrugged. She slowly led Courtney over to a couch and sat down. "Physically, yes. He may be scarred for a while, but he'll be fine. Emotionally?" She shrugged once more. "I'm not sure. He... He's got an interesting psyche. When he was younger, he was very emotional. His emotions were always at a high. He was either very happy, or very sad, or very angry. He wanted a lot of attention. Maybe it was because of him being a middle child, I'm not sure. He kind of toned down around ten, but then become more mellow around the age of... Thirteen? Fourteen?"

"So you think maybe he'll revert back to when he was a child?" Courtney softly questioned.

Suzie shrugged again. "Maybe. My husband and I tend to a lot of car accidents, and we see a lot of people react differently. Well, we see a lot of people days later, because of surgeries and hospitalizations and such. Some are just fine, with no psychological side-effects. Some say they've become different and act more emotionally than ever. What about you, darling? Do you think he'll be okay?"

Courtney also shrugged. "I don't know," she softly said. "I-I mean, you're closer to him, so..."

Mrs. Evans quietly laughed. "Well, you're pretty close to him as well," she said.

Courtney softly smiled. "Yeah... I... I really don't know. I just... I-it's hard to see him in this situation." She paused before quickly adding, "A-and I can't imagine how you're feeling..."

Suzie softly smiled, rubbing the girl's back. "I'll admit, I felt a bit selfish after a few minutes... I remembered how he was supposed to move into that new apartment and grew happy because we would stay together longer, but... Of course, I felt bad for you. He's told me how about how much you wanted to move out. Not why, just... You were set on getting out."

The teenager nodded. "I did..." She sighed, placing her face into her hands. She felt the tears stinging her eyes once more. Two days after she were to move, her parents were going on vacation. Now that she wasn't moving into her apartment... She would home alone. And Duncan would be at the hospital. Probably alone as well.

"Hello, Suzie..."

Courtney glanced up and saw a doctor walking towards them. Mrs. Evans immediately stood up and walked over to the man.

"Hi, Larry," Suzie softly said. "How is he?"

"Good, surprisingly," the doctor said, nodding. "I heard about his car..." He let out a sigh, shaking his head.

"It looked horrible," Suzie muttered, shaking her head. "It's completely totaled..." She sighed before asking, "What all was wrong?"

"He had a lot of glass shards in his arm, mostly his right one," he explained. "He also had a couple barely lodged in his head. He may have been blocking his head. He only had a few stitches in each arm, and none in his head. His left arm is broken, and that will be in a cast for over six weeks. His left kneecap was fractured, so we placed some wires in there. This left leg will be in a cast for a few weeks, before we'll take off the cast. He'll have to wear a knee brace after that and undergo physical therapy. He'll also have to undergo physical therapy for his arm. Half of his ribs were cracked, and we're going to keep them bandaged while he's here. It may take a while for those to heal."

Suzie let out a shaky shudder, wiping slightly at her eyes "That's all, right?"

Larry nodded, reaching forward and rubbing her arm. "That is all. You should be very happy."

"I am," she said, smiling. "Believe me, I expected a lot more to be wrong with him."

"Normally, with car crashes like his, people are in surgery for hours," he explained. "I don't know how it happened..." He shrugged, smiling. "They're moving him into the recovery room right now. He'll be in room 513. You can go on and head in there in just a few minutes."

"Thank you," Suzie said, smiling. When the doctor walked off, she walked over to the teenager. She bent down, smiling at the girl who still head her head in her hands. "Did you hear that?" she softly asked.

Courtney nodded, looking at Suzie. "I did."

"Did you want to see him first?" Mrs. Evans asked.

Courtney shook her head. "You see him first," she softly said. "Just, uh... Just come get me when you're done."

* * *

Courtney stood outside Duncan's door, twiddling her fingers together. His Mom informed her that he had just woken up, and after a few minutes, he told her, "As much as I love talking to you... Is Courtney here?"

Courtney was more than shocked than he had asked for her. She was speechless. She was also incredibly nervous. She let out a sigh, rubbing her arms. She then walked into the room, nervously smiling at the two of them. "Hey," she softly said.

"Well, don't act so nervous, Princess," Duncan teased, smirking at his girlfriend. "I'm not dead."

"Duncan!" his Mom snapped, exasperated.

"Oh, mellow your yellow," he muttered, rolling his eyes.

"So, um... How are you doing?" Courtney softly asked, taking a seat in the chair on the opposite side from where his Ma was sitting.

"Not-so-awesome," he admitted, shrugging. "I've got a couple of casts on, my ribs are killing me..."

"We are going to sue this guy!" Suzie suddenly exclaimed.

Duncan gave his Ma a dirty look. "Really?"

"Do you want to pay for these bills?" his Mom questioned.

"Nope," he muttered.

"Exactly."

"Do you remember the accident?" Courtney softly asked.

"You're being really quiet..." Duncan shrugged. "I mean, I guess I'd be a bit nervous if my vacation had a possibility of being ruined..."

Courtney's mouth immediately dropped open. Even his Mom looked shocked. His mind was set two weeks back! Courtney blinked a couple of times, still shocked. "Um..."

Duncan immediately began laughing. His Mom groaned loudly, which Courtney stared at him in shock. "I'm kidding!" he said, grinning like mad. "Nah, our vacation was, like... a week and a half ago."

"You are so rude!" his Mom snapped.

"Whatever." He rolled his eyes.

Courtney wearily stared at her boyfriend. He was being especially rude, something she hadn't seen in two years since the start of Total Drama Island. It seemed like he was being serious, and his attitude was real, but he could have been playing around. She looked at his Mom, who was also staring at Duncan curiously.

"What?" he asked, looking in between Courtney and his Mom. "Did the crash totally disfigure me?"

"Courtney, do you mind if Duncan and I talk alone for a few minutes?" Suzie asked, continuing to look at Duncan.

As Courtney began to stand up, Duncan inserted, "No. Courtney, you can stay. Ma, if you've got anything to say, you can say it to the both of us."

"I don't think you want me saying this stuff around her," Suzie sternly told him.

He continued glaring at his Ma. "Fine." He turned to Courtney, sighing. "Sorry, babe."

Courtney shrugged, smiling. "Just call me whenever you want me back in here."

Suzie stared long and hard at her son. "I'm worried about you, Duncan."

Duncan sighed. "Am I posing symptoms of PTSD?"

She shrugged. "Not yet, since you did just wake up. Those symptoms may not pop up until later, if that's the case. You've been a bit meaner than usual. Yeah, I know you don't like hospitals so you just... do whatever to get out of here quicker, but that's not happening. I feel like since you hit your head-"

"No, I didn't hit my head."

"Sweetie, you have a bruise on the front of your head."

"No wonder it hurts right there." He chuckled.

"Anyway, since you hit your head, I feel like that triggered something in your brain. I feel like it switched something."

Duncan continued laying there, thinking about what his Ma was saying. Finally, after remaining silent, he quietly asked, "Am I really that different?"

Suzie sighed, reaching forward and grabbing his hand. "Maybe this is just a temporary thing. I don't know. I can't think of anyone I'm particularly close to that's been in a really bad car accident."

He pursed his lips in thought. "I can't think of anyone, either." He sighed, rubbing the side of his head. "How long am I going to be here?"

"Between three and five days at the shortest."

"Damn."

Suzie sighed, nodding. "I agree. Shall I get Courtney?"

"Sure."

A few minutes later, Courtney walked into the rooms, without his Ma. He didn't mind not seeing his Ma - he wanted to spend a little bit of alone time with his girlfriend. "Hey," he said, grinning.

She smiled at him, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Sorry it took me a few minutes to come in here. I was on the phone."

He shrugged. "It's cool. So, uh... Sorry if it seemed like I was lashing at you earlier."

She shook her head. "You weren't lashing out at all. You just... You kind of snapped a bit, but that was all." She patted the cast that covered his left arm, since she couldn't intertwine their fingers.

"Sucks my left hand is in a cast," he muttered.

"Why is that?"

"I'm left-handed."

She furrowed her eyebrows, confused. "You're ambidextrous."

"I know, but I'm mostly left-handed."

She slowly nodded. "Well, at least it's not like you have to learn how to use your right hand."

He nodded. "So I realized I never answered your question from earlier."

She blinked a few times, trying to remember the question. "Oh, yeah," she muttered.

"I barely remember the accident."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I remember driving and then, like... I saw the guy coming, and I remember just cussing because I couldn't get out of the way. But that's it. I vaguely remember hearing the impact, and I certainly don't remember feeling it... I completely blacked out until just a little while ago."

Courtney let out a shaky shudder. Just him being in that crash was a horribly scary thought, but for him to not remember much... Maybe that was a good thing. Maybe it wouldn't. Time would only tell, really. "I'm really glad you're okay."

"Have you called the apartment?" he softly asked.

She nodded. "That's who I was on the phone with. They understand, and they said that they would hold the apartment for us for the next sixty days."

"Well, that's nice of them."

"It is."

He reached over with his right hand and gently rubbed her arm. "We'll get there, Princess. This is only a slight roadblock."

She nodded, smiling at him. "Yes, this is."


	25. Going Home I

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

**A/N: More sexual themes again. I hate writing author note's within my stories (at least my current ones as of a year ago), so I'll just give you all a bit of a warning: It's in the second part of the story. Also, this is a two-part chapter... Kind of. Haha. Try to guess what's going on at the end of this chapter! Thank you for the reviews! Keep 'em up! Enjoy!**

"Are you excited about going home tomorrow?" Courtney asked, reaching over and rubbing her boyfriend's arm.

Duncan shrugged. He sighed and muttered, "I wish I were going to the apartment..."

"I know," she quietly said, continuing to softly stroke his arm. "I do, too. We'll get there, though."

He nodded, reaching over and placing his hand on top of hers. "I had a dream about the accident last night," he softly said.

She frowned slightly, intertwining their fingers. "Was it a replay of the accident, or was it different?"

"I... I'm not sure," he softly said. "I still can't remember much of the crash, apart from what I told you... Uhh, two days ago. This dream... It was scary. I could see and feel everything that happened upon impact. Honestly, babe, I woke up and puked my guts out. It terrified me that much."

Courtney instantly leaned over and wrapped her arms around his neck. Because problems in his neck had arisen the day prior, she didn't wrap her arms too tightly around his neck. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

Duncan shrugged, tightly wrapping his arms around her waist. "Whatever."

"Duncan," she softly said, pulling back slightly. "This could be a sign of severe psychological problems from the crash."

He groaned, and instantly she regretted saying anything. He told her, "I know. Ma and I have had this discussion a few times. I could very well get PTSD. I could very well have other mental problems as well. Do I want them? Not really. I wish this hadn't happened, and I'm incredibly upset that the driver didn't have any kind of medical problems. The guy shouldn't have been texting!"

"He really shouldn't have been," she agreed, nodding. "I hope your lawsuit goes well, though I don't know why it shouldn't."

"I don't care about the fucking money," he muttered. "I... This guy fucked up my life, Court. The left side of my body is in pain and is wrapped up in a cast. I honestly don't know how I'm going to function normally. Nobody can't just wheel me around everywhere-"

She put a finger to his lips, instantly silencing him. She wore a small, simple smile on her face. She softly told him, "You're forgetting who you're talking to."

"You have to work."

She shook her head, causing him to furrow his eyebrows. "I took two weeks off, so I could move. Now that I'm not moving..."

"No."

She let out a sigh. She asked, "Why not?"

"I'm not going to burden you."

"It won't be a burden!"

"Okay, how about this: I don't want you babying me. I don't want you hanging over me while I do everything."

"You're the one who just said that you don't know how you'll function normally, nor do you know anyone who will help you get places! I can do that for you, Duncan!" She let out a sigh, running her hand over her face. She softly asked, "Who would you rather watch you constantly - myself, or your Mom?"

"Neither, honestly. But, if I had to choose..." He let out a sigh, shrugging. "I guess you, sweetheart."

"Then let me move in with you. Even if it's just for a week."

"It's just..." He sighed. "I know I'm going to need help showering. I know I'll need help getting in and out of a car, something I don't want to do anyway..."

"You're... You're scared of riding in a car?"

He remained silent for a few moments. Honestly, he was extremely terrified of getting back into a car. He wasn't sure why, though. Both of his parents were excellent drivers, and they rarely got into any kind of car accident. Maybe it was because he just got into a car accident himself. He shrugged and said, "I'm not too thrilled about trying to get in an out of a car."

She nodded, relief overtaking her face. "Yeah, that's not going to be fun."

They looked over as his Mom entered the room. Mrs. Evans smiled at them and said, "Hello, you two."

"Hello," Courtney said, smiling.

"Ma, I wanna go today..." Duncan whined, pouting at his Ma.

Suzie rolled her eyes, standing at the end of his bed. "Just one more day, sweetie. Then you can go home and..." She let out a small sigh, shrugging.

"I want Courtney to stay with us for a while," Duncan told his Ma.

Suzie shrugged, smiling softly. "I don't see any problems with that... Wait, sweetie, don't you work?" she asked, turning to Courtney.

Courtney shook her head. "Not for two weeks." When Mrs. Evans continued to stand there confused, she continued, "I took off two weeks so I could move."

"Well, since you'll be staying with us for..." When Courtney shrugged, Suzie continued, "Who knows how long you'll be staying with us, but it's not like you'll be lying to your bosses. For the most part."

"They'll figure out I haven't moved." Courtney shrugged. "But that's okay."

* * *

"I can't do this."

"Sweetie..."

"No, Ma. I'm so serious. I cannot do this."

Suzie sighed, frowning at the predicament in front of her. Her son was refusing to get into her car. Granted, it was her police car, so there were probably a number of reasons why he didn't want to get in there. She stepped in front of her son and bent down. She quietly asked him, "Why is that?"

"I don't know!" he said, exasperated as he threw his right arm into the air. "I really don't! It's, like... I know I have to get in, but I get this weird feeling inside of me. I get scared and anxious and..." He groaned, looking away as he shook his head.

"You're scared," she simply, and softly, stated.

He groaned, wearily staring at the woman in front of him. "I don't want to be scared," he grumbled.

"Who does?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "There's no problem-"

"There is," he stated, glaring at her. "There is because I can't seem to gather up the courage to even get close to your car."

"Honey," she softly said. "You know I'm trained to keep out an extra eye on everything. Plus, only an idiot would dare to really crash into my car."

"Unless they were texting and weren't paying attention to the road."

"That is classified as an idiot."

Duncan sighed, nodding. "That is true," he muttered. He groaned and said, "Let's just get this over with."

He realized it was pretty easy getting into the car. He basically hopped into the police car and propped his leg against the seat. He couldn't wait to get the large cast off and have a brace put in it's place. He knew it would take longer for his arm to heal, and he wasn't excited about wearing that cast everywhere, either. He was grateful that his Ma decided to take the back roads home. True, it took a lot longer since he was at a hospital in Toronto, but he was strangely thrilled about not being on the highway. He sighed in relief when they turned onto his street and pulled up to his house. After a long, hour and a half ride in the car, they were home!

But Courtney's car wasn't there.

"Where's Court?" Duncan asked as his Mom helped him out of the car and into the wheelchair.

"I'm not sure," Mrs. Evans quietly said. "I'm sure she'll be by soon, though. Isn't she taking her parents to the airport?"

"No, they're leaving in three days," he explained. They both sighed when they reached the steps. He muttered, "Great..."

"Honey, do you think you can hop up the stairs?" his Mom quietly questioned.

He shrugged. "I guess."

With her assistance, he got out of the wheelchair. He tightly held onto the railing as he stood there on one foot.

"You got it?"

He nodded, staring at the first step as he let out a sigh. He took a deep breath before jumping onto the first step. He smiled in relief before repeating the same process, over and over, until he reached the front porch. He let out a few breaths, not wanting to pass out after doing all of that. It really took a lot of energy, more than he thought. He plopped down in his wheelchair when his Ma finally brought it up the stairs.

"You did a good job, sweetie," Suzie softly said, gently rubbing his shoulder as they stepped inside.

"Whatever," he grumbled, the silence of no one else there welcoming them as they stepped inside.

"I was hoping Courtney would be here when we arrived..." Mrs. Evans sighed before quickly adding, "Oh! We picked up a new phone for you yesterday."

"Is it the same as before?"

She shrugged and grabbed the phone off the coffee table. "Kind of? It's just a basic phone. It'll hold you over until you can upgrade in a couple of months."

"That's cool," he muttered, looking at the phone that his Ma handed to him. "Are all of my pictures and such on here?"

"Yep, we got everything transferred on there."

"Thank you."

"Of course." She sighed, regretfully looking at her son. "I have to go to work now, Duncan."

He shrugged, smiling at his Mom. "Have fun."

"Call me when Courtney gets here, okay?"

He nodded. "See ya."

Suzie gasped as soon as she opened the door. There stood Courtney, looking like she was ready to knock on the door. "Courtney!"

"Hi Mrs. Evans," Courtney said, smiling at the older woman.

"I'm glad you're here," Suzie said, smiling as Courtney entered the house. "I have to go to work now."

"Have fun," Courtney said, continuing to smile. She turned and smiled at her boyfriend, who was seductively smirking at her.

"Well, well. Someone's dressing to impress today..." he muttered, eying her outfit, which was a pair of shorts and a tank top.

She rolled her eyes, placing her bag by the couch. "If I wanted to easily have sex with you, I would have worn a skirt or a dress."

"You like being a tease, though. It turns both you and I on."

She couldn't help but blush as she quietly laughed. What he said was actually true. Teasing him did turn her on. Whenever she teased him, however she did it, she loved seeing him react. Sometimes, he would smile or smirk, a lustful look always in his eyes. He usually sat there, but sometimes he would squirm around, trying to remain cool and comfortable. It was fun seeing him get so turned on, because it really did turn her on. She wanted to be sexy for him. She wanted to see him act like that.

"What do you say, babe?" he asked, wheeling himself closer to her. With a mischievous look, he asked, "Care to fuck Big Papa?"

"How?" she asked. She hadn't planned on doing anything as she drove to his house, but those two sentences really changed her mind after her mind wandered elsewhere.

He pointed to the couch behind him. "There." Before she could protest (or even say anything), he began to wheel himself to the couch. He grabbed a blanket and threw it down before slowly moving out of the chair and onto the couch. As he did so, he muttered, "I don't want anything on the couches. Ma and Pa will freak."

She smirked, already taking off her tank top. Underneath she was wearing a yellow push-up bra. Her navel piercing had also been changed, and now had yellow and white striped balls at each end.

"Somebody's very summer-themed."

She rolled her eyes but continued smirking. She walked over to her boyfriend and slowly moved onto the couch, gently straddling his lap. "I thought it looked nice."

He shook his head, reaching forward and giving her upper thigh a squeeze. "Oh, believe me - you look HOT in that outfit. Sure, you usually turn me on whenever I see you, but today..." He gave her a low whistle. "Yellow looks good on you."

She smiled at him. She reached forward and cupped his cheek in her hand. She remained still like that for a few seconds before gently caressing his face. She leaned forward and captured his lips in hers. Her body was pressed up against his, partially her own decision, but Duncan's hand was firmly pressed on the small of her back. They continued laying there, pressed up against each other and making out, for a few minutes. Courtney then leaned back, seductively smiling at Duncan.

"What?" he murmured, leaning forward and running his un-cast hand all around her midsection, from her waist to her sides to her stomach to her bellybutton.

She then slowly leaned back, carefully watching her she slid. She grabbed the top of his boxers before looking up at him. "Ready?"

* * *

"Oh, my God! Look at them!"

"What?"

"They're adorable!"

"Mom, don't wake them up."

Suzie and Danny were currently peering into Duncan's temporary room. He was staying in the guest room downstairs, for it would be impossible for him to try and continuously walk up and down the stairs. Plus, all of his belongings were packed for what would have been his and Courtney's big move. Suzie was gushing at Courtney and Duncan, who were asleep on his bed. He was on his bed, his leg propped up above a few pillows. Courtney was snuggled up against him. He even had an arm wrapped around her. Her legs and his right one were entangled.

"You know, you don't have to wake them up," Danny quietly said.

"Oh, I know," Suzie said. "I never wake them up while they're asleep. I just love to watch them, though..."

Danny sighed. He muttered, "Mom, you are such a creeper sometimes..."

Suzie playfully and softly hit her son on the arm. "Oh, hush."

"You are, though."

"Go wake up your older brother."

"If you're not going to wake him up, I surely won't..."

"No! Dylan!"

"Will you two be quiet...?" Duncan loudly groaned. "Damn it," he sighed, slowly opening his eyes. He wanted to turn onto his left side to turn away from his brother and Ma, but he knew turning onto that leg would cause it an incredible amount of pain.

"Did we wake you up?" Suzie softly asked, taking a couple of steps into the room.

"Kinda," Duncan murmured before letting out a yawn. He pointed at Courtney and said, "Try not to wake her up, though."

"Aww..." Suzie quietly said, smiling happily at her son.

Duncan rolled his eyes as he slid out of bed. While keeping his left leg propped up, he slid around and plopped into his wheelchair. He looked at the bed and was relived to find Courtney still asleep. He wheeled out of his room, following his Ma into the kitchen. He asked her, "So why were you staring in my room like a creeper?"

"Danny was there, too," Suzie simply pointed out, gesturing towards her youngest son.

Danny scoffed at his Mom. "Really?" he asked.

"You were, though."

"It was definitely your idea to stare into the room. And then you were the one to go on and on about how cute they are..."

"You think we're cute?" Duncan asked his brother, slightly freaked out.

"No, you idiot," Danny said, glaring at his brother. "You know what I meant."

"Ma?" Duncan questioned, referring to the woman and not talking to her.

Danny nodded. "Yep."

"What would you two like for breakfast?" Suzie asked.

"Eggs?" Danny asked.

Suzie nodded. She turned to Duncan and asked, "Are eggs okay?"

Duncan nodded. "Sounds good."

"So... Did you and Courtney sleep well?" his Ma questioned, beginning to cook the eggs.

"Not really," Duncan admitted, shrugging. "Wearing this cast sucks, and she had a nightmare."

"Poor thing," she quietly said, shaking her head. She then sympathetically smiled at her son and said, "Poor thing to you, too."

"She got more sleep than I did, at least."

"I bet you can't wait to get that thing off," Danny said, gesturing to the cast.

"The arm one sucks, yeah, but the leg one..." Duncan shook his head before continuing, "As soon as I saw that thing, I knew I wanted it off."

"Explain to me why you don't like wearing an arm cast," Suzie said, turning around and curiously staring at her son.

Duncan sighed. "Yes, I'm ambidextrous, but I write better with my left arm. I was a leftie as a child, remember?"

Suzie paused for a few moments before saying, "That's right." She apologetically smiled at her son and explained, "You've been ambidextrous since you were six, so it's been a long time since you've written with only one hand."

"Why are you ambidextrous?" Danny questioned.

Duncan shrugged. "I think it had something to do with kids at school..."

Suzie nodded. "You got picked on a bit because of being left-handed, so you wanted to be better than them and show them that you could write with both hands."

Duncan shrugged. "Writing with both hands isn't that cool, anyway."

"Uhh, yeah it is," Danny said, raising his eyebrows. "I can't write with my left hand at all. I don't think I know anyone else who can actually write with both their hands. That's a pretty cool thing you've got going on, bro."

Duncan shrugged once more. "I guess."

"Oh, Mister Modest," Suzie said, grinning at her sons as she set down two plates. "Well, I hope you two get lots of rest today and tonight. Tomorrow's going to be a big day."

Duncan furrowed his eyebrows. "How so?"

Suzie winked at her son. "You'll see."


	26. Going Home II

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

**A/N: Short chapter is short... I'm feeling a tiny block for the other story, yet I wanted to write this out because I had a general outline already. It may feel rushed and such, and I'm sorry. I wanted you all to have some new material! Because I'm still healing from a cold, I'll be laying around tomorrow, so maybe I'll have some other chapter up of a story. And remember, PLEASE review! It keeps me energetically writing, and who knows - I could post a lot quicker if I get a lot of reviews ;) And if I come up with some material quick, haha. Enjoy!**

"So, Ma says she's got a big surprise in store for tomorrow..."

Courtney smiled up at her boyfriend. She was laying next to him on the bed. Her head was slightly propped up on her arm. She quietly asked, "Is that so?"

"I have no idea what she's got planned." Duncan inquisitively stared down at his girlfriend. He asked her, "Do you know what she's going on about?"

Courtney shook her head. She wore an amused smile on her face as she said, "Your Mom hasn't mentioned anything about this 'surprise' to me."

"Would you tell me if you knew?" he questioned, a sly expression on his face.

She shrugged, returning the sly smirk. "_Maybe_," she simply said, tease laced through her words.

He chuckled, temporarily bringing her closer to him and giving the top of her head a kiss. "You know you would," he softly said.

She shrugged, rolling her eyes. "Perhaps. We'll see when that day arrives."

"What do your folks think about you staying here for... whatever amount of time?"

She shrugged. "They'll be on vacation for ten days starting tomorrow. They don't really care, I guess."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not." She looked up at him, staring at his slightly confused face. "Regardless of what happened, we're together. Granted, we're not living together, but I'm living with you..."

"I'd count that as living together."

She shrugged, nestling her head on his shoulder. They continued sitting there in silence, her head on his shoulder, his head on hers. Their hands were intertwined and were resting on his non-injured leg. After a few moments on blissful and calm silence, she quietly asked, "You know what?"

"What?" he murmured.

"I'm... I'm glad we weren't just a summer fling."

He nodded. He quietly agreed, "As do I, Princess." After a few more moments of silence, he asked, "Were you in love with me then?"

"When?" she softly questioned, peering up at him.

"That first summer."

She shook her head. "I wasn't. I was... I was infatuated with you. Yes, I was attracted to you, and I wanted to be with you." When he nodded, she asked, "Were you in love with me?"

He shook his head. "No. I was also attracted to you, because you have always been just that hot." He smirked at her giggles. He told her, "Seriously, though. You are the hottest girl I've ever dated."

She wore an amused smile as she looked up at him. "I know we love each other," she said. "But this lust-filled attraction between the two of us better not be the core of our relationship."

"It helps," he said. "But you know our relationship is much... deeper, than that."

She nodded. She let out a sigh, snuggling herself closer to him. "I was on YouTube the other day," she softly started.

Duncan looked down at her, nodding. He drew small circles around her back. He asked her, "What did you see on there?"

"I looked up clips from the shows..."

As she let out a sigh, he couldn't help but roll his eyes. He knew that the second show especially upset her. Why would she do that to herself? "And what were your motives for doing that?" he asked.

She shrugged, letting out another sigh. "I don't know," she quietly said. "I just... I wanted to watch some videos and see some of the comments..."

"They weren't good, were they?"

"Some were..." she murmured. "And then some weren't, of course. I just... I actually fear these Aftermath shows, Duncan."

"Why?" he softly questioned, turning himself slightly and wrapped his hurt arm around her.

"I don't want to get booed. I don't want to hear from the audience how much of a 'bitch' I am. I don't like that Blaineley is there, either, because she knows how to stir up drama."

He nodded, kissing the top of her head. "I don't... I can't relate necessarily, but I'm sorry that you feel this way. It really sucks I won't be attending the next Aftermath..."

"You're not?" she asked, staring up at him. Her wide eyes were filled with confusion and fear.

He sympathetically frowned at her. "Yeah, it's next week, but I don't know how I'll feel then..."

She was about to question him when it hit her. He wasn't sure if the pain would flare up around that time, or what kind of emotional state he would be in. She nodded and quietly said, "I see..."

"But, Geoff and Bridgette will be there," he said, running his hand through her hair. "I'll make sure they take good care of you."

She let out a couple of laughs. She nodded her head. "Okay... I just wish you were there, that's all."

He shrugged, resting his head on top of hers. "I know," he quietly said. "You'll be fine. I'm sure everything will be fine."

Later that night, Courtney laid next to her boyfriend, watching him sleep. His head was resting on her upper chest, on her collarbone. His arm was wrapped underneath her, his hand resting on her waist. She gently ran her hand over his body, from his hair to his face to his arm to his back. He had fallen asleep about an hour before, but she continued to lay awake.

She felt bad, because she knew what his Mom was talking about. She knew the surprise that was in store for Duncan the next day. Ever since he told her about the "surprise" (he kept calling it a surprise, and while she knew it was indeed a surprise, she went along with him), she wanted to tell him. She knew he would be far from disappointed, though. Sure, he would be shocked, but he would be happy as well.

She began to get sleepier, so she snuggled herself against her boyfriend. She rested her head on top of his, and rested one hand under his head and the other on his chest.

"I love you," she softly whispered before shutting her eyes and falling into a deep state of sleep, missing the tiny smile that formed on Duncan's face.

* * *

Duncan awoke to find himself in an empty bed. He hated the feeling, especially if he knew Courtney was around. He liked waking up next to her. In reality, he liked waking up before her. She was so peaceful when she slept, and he loved seeing her so relaxed.

"Oh, good, you're awake!"

Duncan was snapped out of his trance by his own girlfriend. He looked over and raised an eyebrow. "Are those my shorts?" he asked, referring to the long sports shorts she was wearing.

She nodded. "Your Mom wanted me to help her with some plant rearranging outside, so I tossed on a pair of your shorts... I hope you don't mind."

He shook his head. "You look a lot better in them than I do."

She laughed, shaking her head. She walked over to the bed and sat on the edge of it. She asked, "Did you sleep well?"

He nodded, slowly sitting up. "Much better than yesterday."

"We both slept horribly then," she quietly said. "But I'm glad you slept better."

"How about you?"

She shrugged. "Better, but I still woke up a few times."

"That sucks."

She shrugged once more. "It's alright. Your Mom said she'd tell you what we're doing today once you wake up..."

He narrowed his eyes slightly, studying her face. He slowly asked, "I know that you know."

She raised an eyebrow. "What led you to that conclusion?"

"I can tell."

She rolled her eyes. She stood up and said, "Fine. I do know. But guess what? I'm not telling you."

He smirked. "You better be glad I'm wearing casts and I'm wheelchair-bound, otherwise I'd make you tell me."

She playfully stuck her tongue out at him. "I bet you would. Do you need help getting out of bed?" When he menacingly stared at her, she grimaced slightly and muttered, "Sorry, I forgot..."

He let out a sigh. "Just let me try to do it first before you ask to help, okay?"

She nodded, softly smiling at him. "Of course."

After watching him easily hop into his wheelchair, they walked out of the room and into the kitchen, where they found Mrs. Evans standing there, talking on her cell phone.

"Good morning," Suzie said after quickly getting off the phone.

"Mornin'," Duncan said.

"So..." His Mom started.

Duncan just stared at his Mom, his face blank. When his Ma wouldn't continue, he raised an eyebrow and asked, "_So_...?"

"I've got big news for you!"

He slowly nodded. "Okay..."

"Now, I'm not sure how you'll feel about this-"

"I'm not going back to the hospital."

Suzie laughed, shaking her head. "I have no reason to take you back there today, Duncan. I, uh... Well, let's just say I probably won't be taking you there much, anyway."

He pursed his lips. He then let out a sigh. He asked, "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, I can't hold it in any longer!" Suzie exclaimed, clasping her hands together. "You're moving today!"

"_What_?" Duncan immediately exclaimed, looking at his Ma like she was crazy. "Ma, I'm wheelchair-bound! I can't move!"

"The place has an elevator, and your brothers and Father will also be helping out," Mrs. Evans calmly explained.

"Okay, what about Court's stuff?" he asked, pointing at his girlfriend. "Her parents are out-of-town!"

"I've already moved there," Courtney softly explained, smiling at her boyfriend.

He gaped at her. He was shocked. He asked, "When?"

"Yesterday," she explained, continuing to smile. "My parents and I got up bright and early, we rented a moving truck, and... Well..." She shrugged. "That's why I was late meeting you over here when you came home."

"And that's why I had to leave for a little while yesterday morning," Mrs. Evans explained. "And don't worry about rent - your Father and I, as well at Courtney's parents, have paid for the first six months."

"What?" Duncan asked, still shocked. "No way."

"Uh, yes way," Mrs. Evans said, tease laced through her voice slightly. "We did the same thing for Dylan when he got his first apartment, so of course we were going to do the same for you."

"Are you happy?" Courtney softly asked.

"Oh, I am," Duncan said, giving his girlfriend a smile. "But I'm just so shocked. I certainly didn't expect this to happen today, or anytime soon, y'know?"

His girlfriend nodded. She turned a chair and sat in it, facing her boyfriend. She said, "Quite a surprise, huh?"

He nodded, smirking. "Oh, yeah."

His Ma, who walked out of the room without notice, walked back in and said, "Are you two ready?"

"Don't we need to pack up... like, cars or a moving truck or whatever?" Duncan asked, raising an eyebrow.

Suzie shook her head. "We already took care of that."

Duncan smirked at his girlfriend. "'Moving plants around' my ass, babe."

Mrs. Evans laughed. "That's what you told him you were doing?"

Courtney nodded, blushing slightly. "It just slipped out," she softly said.

"Well," Mrs. Evans said. She looked at Duncan and continued, "Your Father and brothers are already on their way to the apartment with the moving truck. We're running a little bit behind, so..."

"Who am I riding with?" Duncan asked. As soon as he asked that, an upsetting feeling erupted inside of him. It was that anxious feeling from the day before, from the time before he rode in his Ma's car the day before.

"Wanna ride with me?" Courtney asked.

Duncan shrugged. "Why not."

It was much easier for Duncan to get down the stairs, but as he made his way outside and towards Courtney's car, his nerves increased. He tried convincing himself Courtney wouldn't put them in harms way, that she's a safe and excellent driver. It worked, but just a tiny bit.

As he reached his girlfriend's car, he watched her get it. Smirking, he said, "Court."

With wide eyes, she quickly asked, "Do you need any help?"

"Well..." He chuckled when she quickly exited her car. When she reached him, he said, "I need you to put the wheelchair in your trunk."

Courtney blinked a couple of times before an embarrassed smile fell on her face. "Of course," she quietly said.

"Thank you," Duncan said, getting comfortable in Courtney's backseat.

"You're welcome," Courtney said, smirking at her boyfriend as she got into her car. "Are you buckled up and comfortable?"

"Yep, and yep."

"Good."

They fell into a comfortable silence as they followed Duncan's Mom to Toronto. After a few minutes, Duncan asked, "Who's idea was this?"

"Was what?"

"Of moving to the apartment so soon."

Courtney made a humming noise, pursing her lips. "It was both my idea and your Mom's."

"Ooh, explain."

"Well, she felt bad because you talked a little bit about how much you really wanted to move into the apartment, and she remembered how much I wanted to move in as well... She talked to your Dad, and they both agreed that we all would surprise you with this."

Duncan nodded, leaning his head back. He shut his eyes. Surprisingly, when Courtney talked, his nerves died down. He felt relaxed and at ease. "Keep talking," he softly said.

Courtney laughed. "Okay. Um... Oh, Bridgette was telling me the funniest story the other day..."


	27. Special Moments

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

**A/N: Another Aftermath chapter! But I'm briefly getting into it. And very briefly. And it's changed up just a tiny bit, of course. Thank you all for the reviews! Yes, this chapter is shorter, but hopefully I'll be able to come up with more ideas soon. (And remember - if you have any, please throw them out!) Of course, I've got a few plots already stirring up... And the next one includes huge drama! Well, it starts out slow, and then it builds up...! Expect that in maybe three or four chapters. Keep the reviews coming! Enjoy!**_  
_

Duncan sighed, tossing the television remote back onto the couch. He had just gotten done watching the second Total Drama World Tour Aftermath special, and boy was that _special_. Bridgette and Geoff (or rather, the producers) set up a fundraiser to get the actual contestants flying around again. He was not going to donate any money to them, and because his Ma was slightly gullible, he texted her to not donate, either. The whole show was, yet again, just one cluster of confusion. The thing that shocked him the most was animals ravaging the set - how could they let wild animals loose?

He felt bad for Courtney, who would, yet again, regret going to an Aftermath show. During the beginning of the special, when no one was calling in, the camera would zoom on past contestants, who were to answer their phones if anyone called. The contestants were doing their own thing, whether it was eating or listening to music or whatever they did to pass time. Courtney was texting on her phone, and while she wouldn't admit it to a very curious Blaineley (who accused Courtney of texting a mysterious guy, prompting Courtney to snap at the older woman), she was actually texting Duncan. He enjoyed the small conversation they had, because were talking about how much of a bitch Blaineley was being that night.

His phone then began to immediately ring. He smiled, seeing that it was his girlfriend calling. He answered the call with a drawled out, "Hello?"

Courtney's giggles filled his ear, much to his pleasure. She said, "_Hello, darling. How are you doing_?"

"I'm good. I'm a bit tired, though. Are you alright after tonight?"

"_Oh, God, no. Well, physically, yes. I don't ever want to go back_!"

"Well, at least you weren't clawed up that badly..."

"_Oh, I wasn't injured by any animal_," she explained, much to his surprise. "_Those of us who weren't injured were made to look injured by the make-up team_."

"Wow," Duncan said, slightly speechless. "That's, uh... _Special_."

"_The one and only word to describe this whole thing, unfortunately. Anyways, I'm calling to let you know I'll be home late_..."

"What's up?" he asked, frowning slightly. He loved now living with her, because they were able to fall asleep and wake up by each other. In the back of his head, he knew there would be a time where that may not happen, and he wasn't too fond of the idea.

"_Bridgette and I are going out for a quick bite. She just wanted to catch up, since we rarely see each other. I hope you don't mind_..."

"Not at all," Duncan softly said, smiling. "Tell Malibu I said '_hello_'."

Courtney giggled, much to his reluctance. "_I will. I'll see you later, sweetie_."

"Alrighty. I love you," he said, adding that last part in a sing-song voice.

She once again giggled before saying, "_I love you, too. Bye_."

"Bye," he chuckled, hanging up. He hopped into his wheelchair and wheeled into his room. Because he was already wearing sweats and a t-shirt, he didn't bother changing into something else. He hopped into his bed and turned onto his back. He stared at the ceiling, his right arm resting underneath his head, and his left arm resting on his chest. He was pretty sure nothing was going through his mind at that moment. He was just laying peacefully in bed, silence surrounding him. Soon, he shut his eyes and entered a deep sleep...

* * *

"Sweetie, you gotta wake up."

Courtney frowned as Duncan's face contorted into a confused direction. He was having some sort of crazy dream, possibly a nightmare. She leaned down and rested her hand on his arm. "Duncan," she softly, but firmly said. "Wake up."

He then began to slowly open his eyes, his facial expression still confused. He was confused by a number of things, mostly at the fact that he was laying stomach-down. He remembered falling asleep on his back. "My leg hurts," he muttered.

"I was just about to ask why you're sleeping on your stomach," Courtney softly said, sitting down next to him. "Does your arm hurt?"

He shook his head, groaning as he slowly rolled onto his back. "_Fuck_..." he muttered, grimacing once on his back.

"Do you need any medicine?" she asked, reaching over and patting his leg.

He shook his head. "I'm good," he softly said. He looked at her and asked, "How long have you been here?"

"Just a minute," she explained. "You were moving around a bit, and you were also groaning... What were you dreaming about?"

He blinked a few times as the dream hit him. "I was at the Aftermath last night," he explained. "I wasn't wearing any casts, but I did hurt my leg... Aah, no wonder it hurts now..."

"How did you hurt your leg in your dream?"

"I fell off the couch."

She softly smiled. "Strange."

"I was trying to get away from the ravage animals. Strangely enough, you weren't around until the end of the dream... _Ooh_. You were waking me up, weren't you?"

She nodded. "I must have appeared in your dream. But, yes, I did wake you up. I was worried about you."

He shrugged, watching her lay down next to him. "How was your late meal with Malibu?"

"It was good," she said, smiling at him. "Do you mind if her and Geoff come over tomorrow? They'll both be in town for a few more days..."

"Fine by me," he said. He then let out another yawn and muttered, "Are you tired?"

She proceeded to yawn before answering, "A little bit. Here, let me change and then I can turn off all the lights-"

"You don't have to go to bed if you're not tired," he said, smiling softly at her.

She shrugged, standing up and walking towards their dresser. "I want the lights off, but we can talk until we fall asleep."

"Sounds like a plan," he said. He watched her take off her clothes and put on her pajamas. He loved her body. She was a beautiful woman. She had the perfect curves, and they were in the perfect places. He knew she went through her phases where she thought she wasn't the prettiest or the skinniest. Everyone had their down moments, but he would make sure to reassure her that she was neither fat nor ugly.

"Can't keep your eyes off of me, huh?" Courtney teased, walking over to the bed.

Duncan smirked at her. After she turned off her light and laid closer to him, he wrapped an arm around her. "You know it. So, are you excited about starting school in a couple of months?"

"I guess," she softly said. "I just... It'll be hard work. I have enough credits from high school to be considered a second-year student."

"Really?" Duncan asked, truly surprised.

She nodded. "Yep. I've got most of my basic classes out of the way. I'll be taking basic lawyer classes this year, and then hopefully I'll be eligible for early admission into Law School."

"You're gonna be a great lawyer," he told her, patting her back as she turned onto her side.

As she snuggled closer to him, she let out a few giggles. She asked, "Why do you say that?"

"Well, you can really argue." They both laughed before he continued, "That's about it, really. Well, you know how to get your point across..."

"You've been to court, right?"

He nodded, though his face looked perplexed. "Once, when I was sixteen. That's when I got sent to Juvie the time before the show started. And then I almost went to court back in March, but instead everything was decided in the judge's office."

"Did that guy go to jail?" she asked, referring to his former friend.

"Oh, yeah," he said, smirking. "He went to the slammer for two whole weeks."

"Was he there while you were there?"

He shook his head. "He was there before I was. Honestly, babe, I probably would have punched him if I saw him there."

"Oh, I'm sure that would have gone well," she muttered. She then looked up at him and asked, "Why did he go there before you?"

"My parents were really trying to keep me out of jail," he explained. "Finally, when we met up with the judge, it was, like... There was too much evidence against me. The weed in the car, the smell on me, me yelling at the police officer..." He shrugged. "It was a learning experience, I guess."

"I don't want you going there again," she told him. Her face was serious, but her eyes were scared, like she knew something like this very well could happen again.

He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss. "As long as I'm with you, there's nothing to worry about," he murmured against her lips, staring deep into her dark eyes.

She softly smiled, returning the gentle kiss. "I sure hope so," she whispered.

"I promise," he softly, but firmly, said. "I even promise you can break up with me if that happens."

"Unless you did something terrible, I doubt I would do that," she told him. She was genuinely shocked by his words. She knew he wasn't joking around. Their relationship meant a lot to each other, and both wanted it to last.

"What's up?" he softly asked. He had looked down to see her having a distant look on her face.

She shook her head. With a small smile on her face, she softly told him, "I'm just glad to have you as a boyfriend, that's all."

* * *

"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty. Our friends are here."

"_Really, Duncan_?" Courtney groaned, opening her eyes and groggily staring at her smug boyfriend. "You couldn't wake me up earlier?"

"Hey, I didn't know they'd be here at this time," he informed her. "Plus, it's ten. I was about to wake you up anyway."

"Thanks," she muttered, watching him wheel out of the room. She let out a sigh as she sat up. She felt so very tired, and despite wanting to continue laying in bed, she got up. She shut the door before putting on a pair of jeans. She left on the tank top that she slept in, and decided she would change out of it if they happened to go out. She ran a hand through her hair, hoping it didn't look too messy.

She grew confused as she walked out of her room. As far as she could tell, Duncan and her were the only ones in the apartment! "Where are Bridgette and Geoff?" she asked.

Duncan turned around. His smirk turned into a sympathetic smile. He knew she was tired when he woke her up, but she looked even more tired standing in front of him. He was awoken a few times by her tossing and turning, so he figured that she didn't have a good night's rest. "They just found a parking spot, actually," he informed her. "I figured I'd wake you up before they got here."

She tiredly smiled at him as she softly and playfully slapped his shoulder. She walked out of the room and into the bathroom, where she proceeded to brush her hair. It didn't look so bad, but she wanted to brush it before her friends got there. She also applied a bit of mascara. She looked at herself in the mirror. While she still look tired, at least she looked decent.

"You look fine, you know."

Courtney looked over, smiling bashfully at her boyfriend. He was leaning against the doorway, something that she was still getting accustomed to. Because he didn't want to sit down all day, he would stand up, usually leaning against something, for a few minutes each day. She quietly said to him, "Thanks."

"Did you sleep well?"

She shrugged. "Sort of. What about you?"

He also shrugged. "I slept alright."

She nodded. She then leaned forward and wrapped her arms around her boyfriend. She smiled when his arms wrapped around her. They remained that way for a minute, quiet and holding each other. She then leaned back slightly before leaning up and softly kissing him.

"You need to brush your teeth," he murmured against her lips, smirking.

She pecked his lips before murmuring, "As do you."

He grinned, returning the peck before slowly leaning back into his wheelchair. "Enough standing time for today," he murmured. A knock was suddenly heard at their door. He smirked at his girlfriend and asked, "Well, then. Shall we?"

"We shall."


	28. Slight Start Forward

_Dislcaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

"Are you ready to get your cast off today?"

Duncan nodded. He said to the Doctor, "I am. How long will this take?"

The Doctor shrugged. He explained, "Less than ten minutes, I would say."

"Oh, that's not bad," Duncan said, nodding. He turned to his girlfriend, who was browsing through a magazine. He asked her, "Not going to watch, darling?"

"He's just sawing off your cast," Courtney murmured, not looking up from her magazine. "I had one removed when I was four."

"I didn't know you had one before," he muttered.

"I fell out of a tree," she explained, a blush forming on her cheeks when her boyfriend began to laugh. She murmured, "Shut up and watch your cast being taken off."

He turned his head and, indeed, the doctor was beginning the process of removing his cast. He didn't even hear the saw or feel his cast being cut open. He knew he couldn't move while the process was being happened, and he was itching to move his leg just a tiny bit to see what would happen. He didn't want to get injured again, though, so he let out a small sigh and continued watching the saw slowly cut a line through his cast.

Within ten minutes, the whole process was over. When the doctor opened the cast, Duncan couldn't help but crinkle his nose and make a disgusted face. The smell that surfaced, probably from both the cast and his leg, was not pleasant. He also couldn't help but ask, "Can we please open up a window?" He glanced over and saw that his girlfriend, who was still reading her magazine, was also making a disgusted face.

The Doctor laughed and opened the window. "It's normal for a smell like this to emerge," he said.

Duncan nodded and looked down at his now non-injured leg. Something was off, though. It seemed like his injured leg, his left one, was smaller than the right one. "Did this cast deform my leg?"

The Doctor chuckled, shaking his head. "No. The cast was bound against your leg, which wasn't used very much. You had to use your other leg for things instead. So, that creates a weight and or muscle loss in your previously injured leg."

Duncan nodded, relaxed a bit more. "Cool."

"You'll have to start physical therapy soon," the Doctor continued on. "Has anyone talked to you about that yet?" When Duncan shook his head, the Doctor said, "Okay, well, because you didn't use your leg for so long, you'll have to start physical therapy to regain muscle and basically learn how to use your leg again. You can try walking and such now if you'd like, but you'll see how difficult the task will be..."

Duncan made a soft humming noise. He was wondering how much it would hurt to try and really walk with his left leg. True, it was slightly uncomfortable to stand up, but it was only truly painful if he put pressure onto his injured leg. He looked over and saw that Courtney was carefully watching him. He shrugged and said, "Let's give this a shot."

What a big mistake that was.

He decided to jump onto the ground off the bed, and upon landing, shots of pain traveled up and down his healing leg. He let out a grunt as he held onto the bed. "Shit," he groaned. He wearily smirked at the Doctor and said, "I'm not gonna try and walk after that. I don't think I can move my leg anyway."

"Just try a couple of steps," the Doctor said, softly smiling.

Duncan nodded. He took a deep breath before shakily and slowly moving his left leg forward. It was hard, but he did it. He did that a few more times before letting out a loud sigh and saying, "I'm done for now, Doc."

The Doctor nodded, smiling. "You did a good job, actually. Now, let's get you out of here..."

* * *

"How are you feeling, honey?"

"My leg's kinda sore."

"That doesn't sound good."

"I've been doing some exercises to help it improve faster."

"Don't stress it out, sweetie."

"I _know_, Ma."

Suzie turned around and smiled at her son. They were currently at Duncan's apartment. She wanted to visit her son after his cast removal, and, as much as she loved Courtney, was glad the young lady was gone so she could spend some one-on-one time with her son. She was currently making simple spaghetti dish for the two of them, since he claimed he was starving when she had arrived. She asked, "How is Courtney doing?"

Duncan shrugged. "She's doing fine, I guess."

"Just..._fine_?"

He rolled his eyes. He explained to her, "She's the same ol' Courtney. She's nervous about starting University, and she's stressed out at work..."

"Poor thing..."

"Oh, she'll be fine."

Suzie furrowed her eyebrows, staring at her middle child. She bluntly said to him, "It sounds like you don't care about her all that much, Duncan."

Duncan stared at his Ma for a few seconds before harshly responding, "I care about her, Ma. _A lot_. Sorry that I'm not so understanding about school or work."

"I figured you cared about her, Duncan. Your tone of voice just sounded like you were bored and didn't care. Do you act like this around her?"

"Kind of," he muttered. "But she knows I don't care about school. I let her rant about her worries and qualms, and I try to help her, but like I said, she knows I'm not the best support system for things related to school."

"I don't see why you aren't going to college..."

"I have no idea what kind of career I'm going to have."

"You could always be undecided..."

"I may never decide what I'm going to do." Duncan sighed. "Are you ashamed that I haven't-"

"_No_!" Suzie exclaimed. She immediately ran over to her son and sat down next to him. "I could never be ashamed of you. I just... I wish you were at least going to some type of school, whether it be University or... or the Academy-"

"I am _never_ becoming a police officer." He paused for a moment before muttering, "No offense."

"None taken." She softly smiled at him. "You know what I mean."

"I do." He returned the small smile before saying, "Just lay off, okay? I'm also stressed out..."

She immediately frowned. "What are you stressed out about?"

He let out a sigh before saying, "I didn't realize I still wouldn't be able to use my leg after having the cast taken off. I don't have a job, and I don't like using the money I won. And Courtney being stressed out is making me stressed out..."

Suzie reached forward and gently rubbed his arm. "You two need a day off."

Duncan furrowed his eyebrows. "I already have plenty of those."

"Well, maybe after you get a job... but before Courtney starts school."

"I doubt that's going to happen, unless my leg heals overnight."

"Okay, then just hang around the apartment all day. Don't worry about money or school or work or anything."

He nodded. "We'll see if we can do that." Courtney started school in ten days, and she worked every day until then. Hopefully she would be able to take some time off.

The mother and son duo continued to sit at the table for a while, even after eating. His Ma ended up mostly talking about work, which he didn't mind hearing about. They sat there for a good hour and a half before the front door opened. As Duncan looked over with the smallest smile on her face, Suzie couldn't help but smile. She knew her son loved her very much, but she knew he was happy to see his girlfriend home. She softly said, "Go say 'hello' to her. I'll clean up."

He nodded, giving his Ma a small smile before standing up and slowly making his way out of the kitchen and into the living room, where he found his girlfriend texting on her phone. He asked her, "How was tonight?"

She shrugged, looking at her boyfriend. "It was alright..." She let out a sigh and looked down.

Duncan furrowed his eyebrows, sensing that something was wrong. He softly asked, "What happened?"

Courtney stepped closer to him. She looked up at him and whispered, "I'll tell you when your Mom leaves."

"You better put on a happy face before she pries everything outta you."

She let out a few laughs, smiling. She leaned up and gave him a quick kiss before saying, "I love you."

"I love you," he said, giving her another quick kiss before taking her hands and walking back into the kitchen. "Ma, look who's home..."

Suzie turned slightly and smiled. "Hello, dearie. I'd give you a hug, but, as you can see..."

Courtney smiled at the older woman. "I can see. I hope you two had a good time together tonight."

"Oh, we always do," Suzie said, laughing.

Duncan chuckled, softly rubbing Courtney's back. He could feel her tense back, and was very curious about what happened with her parents that night.

Suzie wiped her hands off a towel and turned around, asking, "How was your night out? Who did you see again?"

"Oh, I just saw my Mom tonight," Courtney explained. "And it went well, thank you."

"How is your Mom doing?" Suzie inquired, leaning against the counter.

Courtney slowly nodded as she said, "She's doing well..."

Suzie slowly nodded, watching the young girl. There was more to that statement than what was said, and she could tell by just everything - the tone of the girl's voice, the way she was standing, even the way Duncan was curiously looking away in thought... She wasn't going to question the young girl, though. No, it wasn't her place to ask. She did say, "That's good." She glanced over the at the clock and instantly her eyes widened. "It's already 8:30? Oh, goodness, I should've left thirty minutes ago. I have an early morning..."

"How early?" Duncan questioned, smirking as his Ma quickly got her belongings together.

"5:30 early," Suzie said. She walked over to her son and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "You be good, okay? And call me if you need anything."

"Yeah, yeah," Duncan murmured, rolling his eyes. He wrapped his arms around his Ma in a gentle embrace and muttered, "Say 'hello' to everyone for me..."

"I will... Oh! Your Dad told me your Nonna wants you to visit her. Somebody misses her grandson..."

"I'll visit her soon."

"Good." She turned to Courtney and gave the young girl a hug. "Take care of yourself, sweetie."

Courtney smiled, giving the older woman a hug. "Thank you. You, too."

"Oh, I will."

Courtney and Duncan stayed side-by-side as they all said their good-bye's. As soon as his Ma shut the door, he turned to his girlfriend, but she was already escaping his embrace. He asked her, "Where are you going?"

"To the bedroom," she explained. "I want to get comfortable before we talk."

He nodded and followed her. He was surprised to see her just walk over to the bed and lay down on it. He softly asked, "You're not gonna change?"

"I changed my mind," she quietly said, staring up at the ceiling.

He walked over to the bed and laid down next to her. He turned onto his side and stared at her. He quietly asked, "What happened tonight?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I thought things were going well, but I go to the bathroom and she... she went through my purse."

"What did she find?"

"She found a condom, then she found my birth control, which she forgot she continues to purchase for me for reasons... well, not for reasons that have to do for my sex life..."

"So she found a condom and freaked?"

"Oh, yeah. She seemed mad, but she was upset at the same time." She paused, tapping her fingers along her stomach. "I don't get it. She said she saw my purse was open and was about to shut it when she found the condom..."

"At least she didn't find a dildo or some lube or anything in there."

Courtney let out a few giggles. "I wouldn't carry lubricant anywhere outside of the apartment, and I don't even own a dildo."

"You don't?" Duncan asked, slightly shocked.

She raised an eyebrow and turned to her boyfriend. "Why did you think I owned one?"

"I dunno. I just thought you did."

She nodded. She smiled when he rested his head on her shoulder and wrapped an arm around her back. She wrapped an arm around his back and rested her head on top of his. She quietly said, "She thought I was cheating on you."

"Really?" he asked, looking up at her.

She nodded. "Really. She thought that, after dinner, I was going to meet up with someone and have sex with them." She let out an irritated sigh before saying, "She's so infuriating sometimes. I understand why she doesn't like you, but I wish she would just stop talking about it."

"She still talks about how much she doesn't like me?"

"Sometimes, and it's very irritating."

He nodded, rubbing small circles around her back. He then furrowed his eyebrows. "Your Mom thought you were going to have sex with someone else? Last time I checked she thought I was going to 'steal your virginity'..."

"Yeah, I don't know what my Mom is thinking about a lot of the time."

**A/N: Yep... There's really no explanation for my lack of updates lately. I have been working my butt off at least five to six days a week, which causes me to not really think about my stories too much... and I've got other life-stuff going on. I do hope to update the next chapter soon! (I will also be putting up another chapter of BotR tonight, so look out for that!) Thank you all for the reviews! Please continue them! And remember - suggestions are always welcome. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


	29. Hawaiian Voyage

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

"Oh, this is embarrassing... I thought the date seemed wrong..."

Duncan opened his eyes, barely able to keep them open. He looked over at his girlfriend, who was talking quietly on her phone. They locked eyes, and she immediately sent him an apologetic glance. She mouthed 'I'm sorry', in which he shook his head. He shut his eyes once more, and smiled gently when he felt her hand gently run through his hair.

"I'm sorry about the mix-up... It is good information to know, I agree... Okay, I'll see you next week. Thank you very much."

"What was that about?" Duncan quietly murmured, continuing to keep his eyes shut.

"You know how I thought school started in five days?"

"Mmhmm..."

"It really does start in another month. I misread the dates on the website. I saw that a few certain schools, including the Law school, started in a few days, but I forgot that I'm not eligible for the program yet..."

"You will be soon enough, babe," he quietly said, continuing to smile softly.

Courtney smiled, continuing to stroke her boyfriend's head. She was surprised he hadn't fallen asleep by that point, but knew he would do so any moment now. It was only seven-thirty in the morning, and she had only waken up that early because her mind was plagued with thoughts about college, which, after a phone call, was starting in a month.

A knock at the door brought her out of her small trance. She quietly slipped out of bed and threw on a robe, for she was only wearing a couple of undergarments. She walked to the door and was surprised to find a delivery man upon opening it. She smiled and said, "Good morning."

"Good morning," the delivery man said. He held out two envelopes and said, "I've got two parcels here, for a Duncan Evans and Courtney Richardson..."

"I'm Courtney, and Duncan's currently asleep," she said, taking the envelopes.

He smiled and held out a small device to her. "That's alright, I just need you to sign this as a confirmation of delivery."

"Of course..." Courtney murmured, quickly signing the device. She smiled at him and said, "Thank you."

"You're very welcome. You have a great day."

"You too."

Courtney shut the door and looked at the return address on the envelopes. They were from the Total Drama productions studio in Toronto. She furrowed her eyebrows as she walked back into their bedroom. As she sat down on the bed, she quietly asked, "Do you know why Total Drama would be sending us mail?"

"I dunno," Duncan murmured. "Just...whatever..."

Courtney smiled, reaching over and rubbing Duncan's arm softly and quickly before looking down at her envelope. It was a thin envelope, with maybe only a few pieces of paper inside. She shrugged and opened her envelope. She pulled out the paper, but something fell from inside of it. She furrowed her eyebrows and gasped upon what had fallen out.

It was a plane ticket for a ten-day vacation in Hawaii!

"Oh, my God!" she exclaimed.

"What?" Duncan immediately asked, his eyes opening once more.

"I'm going to Hawaii!"

He blinked his eyes, his sleepiness returning. "What?"

"Open your letter," she murmured, pushing the envelope over to him.

He grunted as he slowly opened the letter. He was incredibly tired and didn't want to be bothered by the Total Drama crew. He was intrigued by this sudden vacation Courtney was going on as well, but he was too tired to even ask her. He pulled out the letter, and his eyes opened at seeing a plane ticket to Hawaii inside of the folded letter. "What," he murmured.

"Did you get one?" she excitedly asked, looking over. She beamed and exclaimed, "We're going to Hawaii!" She gasped and muttered, "I have to call Bridgette..."

Duncan placed the air ticket down before reading the letter, which explained to him that everyone had to go to Hawaii for the last two Aftermath's, and that, with the exception of filming the two shows, they were allowed to do whatever they wanted. The airfare and hotel plus breakfast and dinner each night was provided for everyone. He was shocked, but pleased at the opportunity to visit that vacation spot.

"Hey, Bridge - oh, my God, I just realized it's only four-thirty there. I am so sorry for waking you up!"

"Dumbass," he muttered, smirking when she pushed his shoulder.

"Did you get a letter in the mail from Total Drama recently?" After a pause, she continued, "Me, too! I am so excited about going to Hawaii!"

* * *

"Do you think everyone is going to be on the same plane from Vancouver to Honolulu?"

"I think so," Duncan said, pursing his lips as he looked at his bag. "I think there's only one flight per day, so..."

"You're right," Courtney murmured, also looking in her bag. "I feel like I'm forgetting something..."

"Me, too."

She let out a sigh and began muttering to herself the things she knew she had in her luggage. She then gasped and said, "I need my passport!"

He furrowed his eyebrows before feeling his back pocket. He reached inside and was relieved to find their passports. "Here," he said, handing over her passport.

"Thank you," she murmured. "You've got your license, right?"

He nodded. "Got my entire wallet."

"Are you bringing cash?"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "If I need some cash, I'll just find an ATM."

She nodded. She walked over to him, smiling happily. "I can't believe we're going to Hawaii."

"Well, it's not like it's just a vacation for the two of us," he said, smirking. "But I agree. I never would have believed that Total Drama would actually pay for us to go to Hawaii."

"Exactly," she said, reaching forward and grabbing his hands. "And I bet you're glad to have your arm cast off, too."

"Eh, pretty much," he said, smiling. "I gotta wear this tight brace, though."

"I know I'd be happy even with a brace," she said, smiling. "You get to go swimming and actually put your brace in the shower..."

"Taking a shower has been nicer with this brace," he murmured, grinning.

She rolled her eyes despite the small blush that emerged on her cheeks. "So, my parents will be here any moment now..."

"I'm surprised they're picking you up..." he murmured, closing his bag.

"Why?" she asked, looking over at her boyfriend.

He shrugged and explained, "Are they okay with you going to Hawaii?"

"I guess," she said, shrugging. "They haven't said anything negative about it... Oh, that's probably them at the door now," she said before walking out of the room due to a knocking at their door. She opened the front door and smiled at her Mom. "Hey."

"Hello, darling," Mrs. Richardson said, walking into the apartment. "When does your flight leave again?"

"At ten," Courtney explained.

Mrs. Richardson glanced at her watch and said, "It's 8:15 now... If we can, let's head out in a few minutes, okay?"

Courtney nodded, smiling. "Let me go get Duncan and we can be on our way." She walked away from her Mom and back into her bedroom, where she found Duncan talking on his phone.

"We're about to go now," Duncan muttered, rolling his eyes. He looked at Courtney and shook his head. "I'll call you before I leave and when I get to Vancouver, Ma... No, Ma, I won't call you when we get to Honolulu." He let out a sigh and muttered, "I was being sarcastic, Ma... Yes... Ma, we have to go. Courtney's Mom is here." He groaned and said, "I will, now I have to go!" He paused before saying, "I love you, too. Bye."

"Are you ready?" Courtney asked.

"I was born ready," Duncan said, smirking.

She smiled and grabbed her bag off the bed and rolled it down the hallway with Duncan following behind her. She smiled at her Mom and said, "We're ready!"

After a decent thirty-five minute drive to the airport and an easy check-in, Duncan and Courtney found themselves over an hour early for their flight. of course, the boarding process would begin twenty minutes before their flight, so they had forty-five minutes to browse the area around their gate.

"I need some coffee," Courtney decided. "I need some strong coffee, too, to keep me up this entire day..."

"Oh, God, we are staying up all day," Duncan murmured, sighing. "We'll land in Hawaii around six or seven, so that will be... oh, that'll only be eleven or midnight here. Not too bad."

Courtney thought about it for a moment before nodding. "You're right..." she murmured. "But I still need some coffee. Do you want some, sweetie?"

"Nope," Duncan said, shaking his head. "I will be drinking on the plane. Both plane rides, actually."

She smirked. "Are you going to get drunk on the plane ride?"

"Oh, no. Just relaxed."

"Actually, you may not be able to drink on the ride from Vancouver to Hawaii... You have to be twenty-one to drink in America..."

"Hmm..." Duncan shrugged. "We'll see. I can charm my way into getting a drink..." He smirked at her glare towards him. "Jealous, babe?"

"Oh, honey, I can charm my way into anything just like you," Courtney explained, smirking. "I've got the assets to do so..."

He continued smirking at his girlfriend. He nodded his head towards the Starbucks across from them and said, "I bet you can't charm the dude at the counter."

She turned around and studied the young man. He looked maybe seventeen or eighteen years old, so right around their age. He had shaggy blonde hair, and a face with fair skin and a bit of acne. She smirked as he seemingly stuttered his words and became easily embarrassed around an older, attractive woman. She turned around and said, "You're on."

As they shook hands on it, she couldn't help but set her eyes on a woman behind a cashier at a little store across from them. She was in her young twenties, also had a blonde hair, and was a little heavyset. She was a cute woman, sure, but she wasn't someone Duncan would flirt with. Her smirk grew as she nodded her head towards the store. "You have to charm that girl."

He turned around and let out a few laughs. "Alright, babe. You've got yourself a challenge."

She couldn't help but feel a bit nervous as she walked towards the coffee establishment. She looked down at her outfit, which included a white-button up shirt, a pair of jeans, and a black undershirt. Once she got in line and made sure no one was looking, she unbuttoned a few of the buttons of her shirt and pulled down her undershirt, exposing more cleavage. She smiled to herself, thankful that the bra she was wearing was a push-up type.

She smiled at the young cashier when she got up to the counter. She couldn't help but smirk slightly as she noticed how big his eyes got, and how he couldn't help but look back and forth quickly between her face and chest. Normally, she would have been revolted by the act and would have snapped at whoever was doing so, but this was a challenge against Duncan, one she would win.

"H-h-g-good morning," the cashier squeaked out, his face now bright red.

"Good morning," she sweetly said.

"W-what can I get f-for you?"

Instead of looking up to find out what drink she wanted, she noticed that there were a few options on a mat on the counter below her. She leaned down slightly, already feeling that her breasts were becoming more exposed. She pointed at one drink, one of her favorites, and quietly and seductively asked, "How does this taste?"

"It...it...it's, uh..." He sighed before letting out a few nervous chuckles. "You-you're really pretty," he muttered, his face turning incredibly read.

She smiled, yet inside she was cheering. "Thanks," she said. "You're not so bad looking yourself."

"Can you hurry it up?" someone exclaimed from farther back in line.

Courtney continued to smile, but inside she was fuming. If she weren't so caught up in flirting with this man, she would have yelled at the guy. "I'll have a grande one of those," she said.

The man quickly nodded. After a few seconds of pressing a few buttons, he quietly said, "Your total is two forty-three."

Courtney smirked. She did it! She charmed the young boy into giving her what she wanted. It wasn't free, but she wasn't expecting a free drink, either. A half-off discount was good enough. She handed him three dollars and winked at him. "Keep the change, sweetie."

"Th-thanks," he stuttered, his face staying bright red.

She sauntered off, pleased with herself. Normally she didn't flirt with other guys, for she was dating Duncan and just wasn't that type of girl to do so. She quietly waited for her drink, checking her phone to see if Duncan or anyone else had tried to call and or text her. She smiled when she felt a familiar pair of arms wrapped around her. She looked up and smiled at her boyfriend. "So how did it go?" she asked.

Duncan shrugged, smirking. "I would have gotten it if her boyfriend hadn't come out to join her."

Courtney giggled. She reached for her drink and said, "Half off."

He smirked and said, "That's my girl." He patted her sides and said, "Let's walk around and see if we recognize anyone here."

As they walked back towards the gate, neither could deny the person sitting on the floor across from their gate, the person with the bright pink shirt and the cowboy-hat.

"Ay, Geoff!" Duncan exclaimed as they walked towards the party guy.

Geoff immediately looked up, and a grin broke out on the young man's face. "Dudes!" he exclaimed, hopping off the floor. "What's up?"

"Nothing much, man," Duncan said, bumping fists with his friend. "You live here?"

"Nah, dude," Geoff said, shaking his head. "Layover number-one. I'm from Thunder Bay."

"Sweet," Duncan said, nodding his head impressively. "How long have you been here?"

"Uhh..." Geoff thought about that for a moment before replying, "For an hour, I think. You two didn't fly here, did you?"

"No," Courtney said, shaking her head. "My Mom dropped us off."

"Nice," Geoff said, nodding. He then broke out into a sheepish grin and muttered, "You guys, I'm so happy to see Bridgette..."

Courtney and Duncan smiled at each other, tightening their grip on each other.

"Hey, dude," Duncan said, interrupting the peaceful moment. "Do you know the schedule for when we're there?"

"Uhh, kinda," Geoff said, reaching into his back pocket and taking out a sheet of paper. "I called Chris, who told me to call the production studios... let's see... Okay, so, tomorrow, we're gonna film the next Aftermath, and that'll air tomorrow night here in Canada. The next episode will air Friday night, and well... Okay, so we've got this banquet room or whatever set up for us, for breakfast, dinner, and the viewing of Friday's episode. I think it's so cool we've got a room like that. It's super nice, I looked it up online-"

"Where are we staying?" Duncan asked.

"The Hyatt on Waikiki Beach!" Geoff happily said.

Both Duncan and Courtney's mouth's dropped open. Courtney happily asked, "Really?"

Geoff nodded, continuing to grin. "Yeah, girl! So, anyway... We've got, like, loads of time off. We have to get back together the next Thursday or Friday, they aren't sure yet, to film the finale and after-show. Then we leave next Saturday."

"Are you and Bridgette planning on doing anything?" Courtney asked.

Geoff shrugged. "We talked about going to North Shore. She's excited about surfing in Hawaii and really wants to go there. What about you two?"

Courtney and Duncan looked at each other before shrugging. "I dunno," Duncan softly said.

"I guess we'll decide when we get there," Courtney said, smiling softly.

"Where are you two sitting at on the plane?" Geoff asked, pulling out his plane ticket.

"Uhh..." Duncan looked at his plane ticket and said, "30D and E."

Geoff gasped. "I'm right next to y'all! I'm at 30F!"

"Sweet!" Duncan said, high-fiving the other guy.

* * *

"We're almost there...!"

Duncan and Courtney softly smiled at Geoff. The party dude was so excited to see his girlfriend, who lived near Vancouver. Courtney remained curled up against Duncan the entire flight. He didn't mind, as he kept an arm wrapped around her the entire time. Duncan and Geoff mostly chatted, while she sat there, watching some in-flight movies and television, listened to music, or even chatted slightly with the two guys.

"Have you ever visited Bridgette in Vancouver?" Courtney softly asked, looking over at Geoff.

Geoff nodded. "A couple of times. I visited her graduation in December, and then I saw her for a couple of weeks during the summer."

"Bridgette graduated early?" Duncan asked.

"I told you that," Courtney mumbled, rolling her eyes.

Geoff chuckled. "Yeah, dude." He kept smiling as he looked out a window. "Vancouver is so pretty..."

Courtney and Duncan smiled at each other. 'I love you' Courtney mouthed. Duncan also mouthed 'I love you' before leaning down and kissing her. They didn't realize the time they spent kissing, for they jolted at the plane touching down on the ground. She let out a few giggles, her face turning pink. He just smirked, leaning back in his seat.

They had to travel across the airport, up one level and through customs, before finding their gate. Geoff immediately abandoned Courtney and Duncan upon seeing his girlfriend. She softly smiled at them and said, "They love each other so much... It's kind of sad that they live so far apart..."

"Who knows," he said, shrugging. "Maybe they'll live together soon."

Courtney nodded, smiling when Bridgette dragged Geoff back towards them. She waved at her friend and said, "Hey, Bridgette!"

"Courtney!" Bridgette exclaimed, engulfing her friend in a hug upon meeting. Courtney couldn't help but return the tight hug. The blonde-haired girl said, "You look so pretty!"

"That's what the guy at Starbucks said," Duncan muttered, smirking.

"What?" Bridgette asked, staring at Duncan with a confused expression.

Duncan smirked. He looked at his girlfriend and said, "You wanna tell her...?"

Courtney sighed and explained the story to Geoff and Bridgette. Re-telling the experience was a bit embarassing, and she felt a bit whore-ish for acting the way she did. Geoff and Bridgette thought the story was pretty funny, though. Even Duncan chuckled at the story, unseemingly phased at how much of a slut Courtney considered herself at the moment.

Despite his laughter, Duncan could tell Courtney wasn't feeling so thrilled about her actions. He could see right past her facade. He was happy when Geoff and Bridgette wanted to spend some alone time together, for he wanted to talk to Courtney. Once they were alone, he quietly said, "Follow me real quick." He took her hand in his and led her towards a quiet part of the hall. Once they were standing against a wall, he turned towards her. He remained silent for a moment before quietly saying, "You know I'm not mad at you, babe. I don't think you're a whore or whatever."

Courtney let out a laugh before letting out a sigh. "I know," she quietly said. "But I-"

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Court."

"I can't help it," she quietly seethed, glaring at him slightly. "You know that."

"Well, stop." His stare was strangely both intense and calm. "I challenged you to do it. Yes, you made yourself even sexier, but that was part of the challenge I presented. You did this to win this challenge, because you're a competitive person. Just be glad you got your overpriced coffee half off, 'kay?"

She sighed and nodded. She smiled and said, "I'll try, though the coffee's long gone..."

"Oh, you know what I mean."

**A/N: Journey to 100,000 words! And 30 chapters! I meant to mention this a LONG time ago, but this is my longest story by far... and I'm glad everyone's seemingly enjoying it! I had no clue what to write for this chapter until two days ago, when this idea just hit me suddenly. It took a lot of research to write this chapter, but it was worth it. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I'll write a few more chapters for their vacation in Hawaii, and then onto the serious part of the story ;) If you have any ideas, please write them in your reviews! Thanks!**


	30. Disbelief in Hawaii

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Total Drama series or anything else copyrighted._

Courtney could not believe she was in Hawaii. For years she had secretly yearned to go to the tropical destination and be surrounded by it's beautiful scenery and wonderful culture. She had often gotten too caught up in her studies to actually pursue, or even think about pursuing, going to Hawaii. After the invitation from Total Drama, she was suddenly grateful for partaking on that show, mostly because she was now able to go to a place she had wanted to vacation at for so long.

After landing in Hawaii, all of the contestants (with the exception of the ones still competing) had decided to eat out after checking in to their hotel. They had stayed out for a few hours before jet-lag finally hit them. It didn't hit Courtney and a few others too badly, but she could sense that Duncan was becoming very tired towards the end of their meal. He almost immediately fell asleep right after they got back to their hotel room, while it took her a few minutes to fall asleep. She woke up around seven in the morning, much to her pleasure and displeasure. After laying in bed for a few minutes, she quietly slipped away and onto their balcony. She sat down in a chair and proceeded to just watch the beach and ocean below her.

"Good mornin'..."

Courtney looked over and smiled at her boyfriend, who continued to look very sleepy as he sat down next to her. She said to him, "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

Duncan nodded, smiling softly. "I did."

Her smile widened, and they continued smiling at each other for a few moments before he turned away, looking into the distance. She watched him as he looked out. She watched his face, with his sleepy expression and his mysterious teal eyes. She knew that he was still marveling the beauty of the island, and marveling at the fact that they were in Hawaii.

"I can't believe we're here," he softly said, his eyes gleaming at the sight before him.

"I know," she softly said, looking out into the distance as well. She let out a sigh as a knock was heard from their door. She started to stand up when she felt Duncan's hand push her back down.

"I'll get it," he told her, smiling.

Courtney smiled, closing her eyes and letting her mind become blank. This, the fact that she was thirty stories above and looking out on Hawaii, was paradise. She was thousands of miles away from Toronto, all the way across the country and in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. She didn't have to worry about anything, like school, rent, work, her parents...

"Hey, you want some breakfast?"

Courtney turned around and nodded. She said, "I'll be down in a minute if you want to go ahead."

"No, I'll walk with you," Duncan said, shaking his head and walking back into the hotel room.

She slowly stood up and proceeded back into the hotel room. She saw Duncan walk into the bathroom, so she opened her bag and proceeded to change right there. She was only going to wear a pair of jean shorts and a tank top to breakfast. She grabbed her extra brush and brushed her hair as she watched Duncan walk out of the bathroom.

"You ready?" he asked.

* * *

Courtney laid back, closing her eyes with a smile on her face. She had been watching Bridgette teach Geoff and Duncan how to surf for a while. Most of the contestants were somewhere along Waikiki Beach. Courtney wanted to just lay down and rest. She was thankful when Duncan caught sight of Bridgette and Geoff and decided to run over to them. She wasn't mad at him, and she loved him dearly, but she was in need for some alone time. She needed time to clear her mind of everything, away from worrying about bills, school, her parents, her friends, her relationship... everything.

As she turned onto her back, she wondered what the other contestants were thinking. Besides their participation on the two shows, for the most part, none of them had spent much time together. She knew Gwen and Heather went to the same high school, as did Sadie and Katie (but they had been best friends for their entire lives). She didn't know much about the other contestants, though. She had be-friended them on Facebook, but she wasn't one to spend an avid amount of time on the site. She knew Duncan was on there more, and she knew he knew a bit more about their lives than she did. Sure, everyone was comfortable with each other - for the most part, they spent two Hellish summers together. They were all happy and chatty on the airplane, at dinner after landing, and even that day at breakfast and at the taping. She didn't mind being in Hawaii with all these people, mostly because she knew she wouldn't be seeing them most of the time.

She turned her head. She covered her eyes, for the sun was very bright. She smiled at Duncan laughing at another wipeout by Geoff. She then furrowed her eyebrows when Duncan began to wave at Gwen, who suddenly appeared. She was dying to see what would happen, how they would interact, but she couldn't watch them. She wouldn't. As she turned her head away from them and laid it back on her arm, she couldn't help but think she couldn't spy on them. She had no right to do so.

She trusted Duncan. She trusted Gwen. Despite that tiny, unsettling feeling that continued to grow in her stomach, she trusted them. She knew they wouldn't do anything. She knew Duncan wouldn't do anything.

On the other end of the spectrum, she knew Duncan. He mindlessly flirted with plenty of women. Sometimes it was just to piss of Courtney or to see how she would react. His flirting was so convincing that sometimes she really believed he was actually flirting with another woman. She knew he hadn't been with another woman since they got together. He had put so much into their relationship, and made her feel so special and so amazing.

She buried her head further into the crook of her arms. She felt terrible for assuming something so horrible about Duncan. With the exception of a couple of serious disagreements, he really did nothing wrong in their relationship. She was the one that hid her feelings and herself and put Duncan through all that bullshit she put him through on the show. True, she had slowly opened herself to him...

She could always find a way to make herself upset. Maybe it would be better if she were around other people, so she wouldn't be by herself with her thoughts.

She slowly sat up and looked around. She smiled when she saw her boyfriend walking towards her. She slowly stood up, reaching out for her boyfriend as he got closer. She brightly smiled when he grabbed her hands and started swinging them. They stood there in silence, smiling at each other. She continued to smile even when he looked away from her face and at her body. Maybe it was the fact that she was in a rather revealing bathing suit (which included a tiny, strapless bikini top and a string-bikini bottom), but she couldn't help but feel sexy in front of him at that moment.

"I'm gonna have to beat up anyone that gives you a double-take."

Courtney giggled, lightly smacking Duncan's arm. She murmured, "Stop it."

"You know I'll punch anyone that tries to touch you in any sort of way."

"So you'll punch Bridgette if she tries to hug me?" she teased, smirking when he glared at her.

"You know what I mean."

"I do," she murmured, smiling. She then leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him, being gentle as she felt his hot skin. She continued to smile as he chuckled while holding her close. She quietly murmured into his chest, "I love you."

He quietly said, "I love you."

She looked up and softly questioned, "So, did Bridgette teach you a lot about surfing?"

"Oh, I already knew how to... kinda... but, yeah, she taught me more."

"When did you learn how to surf?"

"Uhh..." Duncan pursed his lips for a moment, looking away. His facial expression brightened as he said, "Oh, yeah. A few years ago, when my bro's and I were in Italy, our Uncle taught us to surf a little bit."

Courtney nodded. She softly smiled at him and said, "You'll have to take to me to Italy someday."

He softly smiled and shrugged. "Only if you want to."

"I do."

He chuckled, leaning forward and softly kissing her on the lips. He softly said, "You'll like it there. Italy is an amazing place, especially Venice."

"Is your family planning on going there anytime soon?'

He looked away, thinking about her question. He made a small, soft humming noise. He slowly shrugged before muttering, "I dunno, babe... I know Nonna couldn't go this summer but was talking about going around Christmas maybe..."

"Well, whenever your family decides on a date, and if I'm invited-"

"There would never be a moment where you weren't invited with us. Believe me, Nonna would love to take you to Italy."

Courtney bashfully smiled, looking away. "Your Nonna's sweet..."

"That she is."

**A/N: Short chapter is short and long-overdue. I decided to post what I had already written for this chapter. The next one shall be up sooner, I promise!**


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